Tech-backed campaign to defame Sawant, govT: Goa CMO

Less than six months into his job as Goa Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant’s office on Monday alleged that there was an ongoing technology-backed conspiracy to defame his government and even asked media persons to help track down those responsible for the slander campaign.

“This defamation exercise is happening in an organised manner by the misuse of technology and by faking the identity of persons, entities and also that of media houses. Such tactics are precisely aimed at creating confusion and panic in the society at large,” the Goa CMO said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement comes on the heels of rumours that Sawant was likely to conduct a reshuffle of the state cabinet and re-induct at least one of the cabinet ministers he had sacked earlier. Sawant’s office, through the statement, has also attempted to deny the reports of a reshuffle.

“Public is hereby informed that all rumours pertaining to cabinet reshuffle are baseless and fabricated,” the statement also said.

“It has been noticed in recent ties that a certain section which is motivated to defame the current government under the leadership of Dr Pramod Sawant in every manner possible. The current government enjoys an unprecedented majority in the assembly and the cabinet too is functioning in a synchronised manner,” the CMO statement further said.

Sawant is facing flak over the poor state of roads, as well as from a certain coterie of BJP leaders who were considered close to his predecessor, former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar.