VASCO: Stating that Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are secular parties, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) general secretary, Mr Vijay Sardessai called upon the Revenue Minister, Mr Jose Philip D’Souza, who is also the state unit president of NCP, to support the GPCC minority department chairman, Mr Saifullah Khan in keeping the communal forces in the state at bay.

Mr Sardessai was speaking at a function organised on the occasion of the 66th birth anniversary of the late prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, at Mangor sports club premises on Friday evening. GPCC women cell president, Ms Monica Dias, Vasco block Congress committee president, Mr Waman Chodankar, MMC councillors, Ms Anita Chopdekar, Ms Shanti Mandrekar, Mr Seby D’Souza, Mr Sharad Chopdekar, Ms Rehana Bepari, Mr Shaikh Hussain, Ms Pratima Shetye, Mapusa block Congress committee president, Mr Vijay Bhike, Mapusa block Congress committee minority department president, Mr Firoz Khan and other social workers were present for the function.

Speaking further, Mr Sardessai said "It is important for Congress and the NCP leaders in the state, particularly in the port town of Vasco to join hands in order keep the communal forces at bay."

He further called upon the Revenue Minister to support GPCCMD chairman, Mr Khan to strengthen both the parties and for the overall development of the port city. He also stated that Muslims in the state should be given other backward class (OBC) reservation in order to fulfill the demands placed before the central government by the minority department.

GPCC women cell president, Ms Monica Dias while speaking on the occasion urged women to join politics while the GPCCMD chairman, Mr Khan spoke on various schemes implemented for women in the country by the government. Earlier, the chief guest, Mr Vijay Sardessai inaugurated the function by garlanding the portrait of Rajiv Gandhi and thereafter lit the traditional lamp.