BJP recruited more minority candidates than Congress: CM (ToI)

TNN | Oct 23, 2013, 03.28 AM IST PANAJI: Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday "condemned" critics who were making efforts to paint his government as communal, saying that he had data to prove that his government recruited more Christians and Muslims than the previous Congress-NCP government. Briefing mediapersons, Parrikar cited figures to show that more minority candidates had been recruited by his government than by the previous Congress-NCP alliance. He said that for the period 2007 to 2011 when the Congress-NCP government ruled, the number of Christians recruited as police constables in Goa police were 1.29% and Muslims in the same position were 1.83%. The corresponding figures during his government were 3.88% Christians and 2.64% Muslims. Likewise, for the post of police constables in the Indian reserve battalion (IRB), the Congress-NCP government (from 2007-2011) recruited 2.41% Christians and 1.58% Muslims. The corresponding figures for the BJP government were 2.20% Christians and 4.40% Muslims. Parrikar said that figures show that the Congress-NCP coalition government provided employment to only about 1.78% of the minorities in Goa, whereas the BJP-led government encouraged 3.28% of the Goan minorities to join the police constabulary. It is also seen from the data that the Christian as well as Muslim communities have been showing steady decline in confidence level in the government, which resulted in overthrowing of previous corrupt regime, Parrikar said. "The minorities after showing ample faith in our government during the 2012 elections have further ensured that the confidence shown during elections materialized into better participation in constabulary recruitment process," Parrikar said. Employment to minority candidates also far exceeds the previous dismal records of the Congress-NCP regime. "The blatant lies of NCP's state president, as reported by the media, stands exposed and prove further that BJP-led alliance government is committed to provide equal opportunities to all communities in Goa irrespective of any religious affiliations, Parrikar said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/BJP-recruited-more-minority-candidates-than-Congress-CM/articleshow/24560840.cms