Congress urges Nitish to back Bihar victim in sexual harassment case against Goa Minister

Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar on Wednesday accused state Urban Development Minister Milind Naik of being party to an alleged sex scandal involving a woman from Bihar. Chodankar appealed to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to back the victim and give her confidence to file a complaint against the Minister in the BJP-led coalition government in the coastal state.

Even as the Youth Congress filed a formal complaint with the Women's police station in Panaji against Naik, accusing him of allegedly trying to sexually harass the victim, state Bharatiya Janata Party president Sadanand Shet Tanavade said that he would speak to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant about the development.

"The Minister involved in the sex scandal, Milind Naik, should be sacked and action should be initiated against him. And Ministers like Milind Naik who sexually assault women should not be protected or the people of Goa will not forgive me," Chodankar told a press conference in Panaji.

Chodankar had first made the allegation without naming Naik on December 1 and had given Chief Minister Sawant 15 days to sack the minister and act against him, failing which, the state Congress president said, he would be forced to reveal the name.

"The day we had announced the sex scandal on December 1, I had not taken the name of any politician or Minister involved in the scandal. We had given the government an opportunity to act. They have not," Chodankar said.

After his announcement on December 1, Chodankar had also received a legal notice from a Mumbai-based law firm on behalf of the victim, who claimed to hail from Bihar, directing him to desist from naming her and the Minister. The victim has allegedly filed a First Information Report at a police station in Bihar's Bettiah district, accusing a Goa Congress office bearer Sankalp Amonkar and others of alleged extortion.

In his press conference, Chodankar also appealed to Nitish Kumar to back the victim in the alleged sex scandal, urging him to ensure that the woman is not pressurised by the BJP and empowering her to file a complaint against the Goa Minister.

"I urge the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to safeguard the interests of a daughter of Bihar, against whom a Minister in Goa is committing atrocities. You are speaking about empowering women in Bihar. Will you stand with your daughter or with the Minister in Goa. The people of Bihar and India are watching you," Chodankar said.

"I appeal to the CM of Bihar. Give the required confidence to the woman who is claiming to be from Bihar as per the legal notice I have received and the police complaint that is filed," he added.

When asked to comment, state BJP president Tanavade said that he would discuss the matter with the Chief Minister. "I will speak to the CM about it. Let the person file a complaint," Tanavade said.