By Our Chief Reporter

Panaji (Goa) The Congress party in Goa today demanded dismissal of the State government over the long absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar due to which a major terror alert was ignored by the local police.

Indian Coast Guard had issued terror alert last week, which was circulated to all the agencies, while Goa Police had downplayed it (alert) claiming it to be normal mock drill ‘Sagar Kavach’ exercise.

All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar told a press conference today that Governor Mridula Sinha should dismiss the State government which has played with the national security.

 “The States like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala took all the precaution to avoid terror attack through their coast while Goa remained completely lethargic letting our coast porous. This is a serious national issue,” Chodankar said.

The State Home department is aimless in absence of the minister heading it, he said.

“During last two months we kept quiet considering that the chief minister is out of station due to health issues. But the situation is turning grave now with terror alerts being ignored by State police,” he said.

Chodankar also demanded that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) should issue notice to State police asking clarification on why they took the entire alert lightly and instead misled people by calling it as ‘Sagar Kavach’ exercise.

Sagar Kavach is a multi agency mock anti-terror exercise to check the preparedness of the state towards any such incident.

The alert which was issued by India Coast Guard had expressed the possibility of terrorists boarding a fishing trawler at Karachi and entering the country through coastline.

After the alert was issued, Goa’s Captain of Ports department had asked all the vessels including water sports operators to increase the vigil.