'We trust him', Milind Naik's supporters hold a public meeting to refute sex abuse allegations

Mormugao MLA Milind Naik, who resigned as minister on Wednesday after allegation of sex abuse surfaced against him, held a public meeting at Sada on Thursday, December 16.

A large of number of Naik’s supporters and workers including BJP Mormugao block president Sanjay Satardekar and Mormugao Municipal Council chairperson Damodar Kaskar attended the meeting to show support to the former minister.

The Minister's supporters said that the claims against him were baseless, accusing Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar and vice president Sankalp Amonkar of playing dirty politics to get an advantage in the next Assembly elections. The supporters and workers also set fire to Chodankar and Amonkar's effigies.

Kaskar said that they have gathered people to tell that the allegations levelled against Naik are baseless and thy trust him. "We are with Naik," he said.

“Allegations during the time of elections is not new at all. During 2017 elections Amonkar planned a conspiracy and made false molestation charges against our MLA Naik fearing defeat. Again, this time they are making similar attempts to malign our MLA, but we are with our MLA as we know how he is. The only thing is that this time they stooped so low that even Goa won’t forgive such people who are using dirty politics to win elections,” Sanjay Sartadekar said,

Former Deputy Mayor of Mormugao, Shashikant Parab, said that Naik had nothing to do with the case and that false allegations were being leveled against him by leaders who had ceased to exist. Congress' Chodankar and Amonkar should first prove the allegations under the law.

Addressing the gathering, corporator Manjusha Pilankar said that Naik had never insulted women. Naik has always taken the lead in supporting women and supporting women's help. The allegations leveled against MLA Naik are baseless and the forthcoming elections along with MLA Naik from Morgaon will defeat the Congress

Milind Naik submitted his resignation on 15 December, to ensure free and fair probe in the case. Governer P.S Shreedharan Pillai has accepted the resignation tendered by the minister.