Congress Demands Inquiry into Cash-for-Job Scam by Retired High Court Judge

Panaji:

Girish Chodankar, former President of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) and Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC), has sounded cautionary signals about the potential emergence of a Goa Vyapam-like scandal, a concern he has expressed since 2020. Chodankar stated that Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant has consistently advocated for amendments to the Goa Staff Selection Commission Bill, 2019, allowing various departments to recruit directly, thereby bypassing established protocols.

“The Chief Minister cannot claim ignorance about recruitment matters and try to run away from this scam. Every issue inevitably leads back to CM office,” Chodankar said.

To address these concerns and ensure justice for Goa’s youth, Chodankar demanded a commission of inquiry led by a retired High Court judge. He emphasized that such a commission is crucial for conducting an unbiased investigation into recruitment processes, aiming to restore trust and accountability.

“CM failed to act against the PWD recruitment scam alleged by his own minister and Panaji MLA Atanasio Babush Monserrate; current job scam cases also highlight his failure,” he said.

Chodankar noted that since 2020, they have been exposing job scams in Goa with evidence of compromised selection processes, including manipulated answer papers and results and physical examination.

Chodankar’s call for transparency underscores the urgent need for reform in Goa’s recruitment practices to ensure fairness and integrity.