Opposition to Defence Expo Only Political: Goa CM

Panaji, Jan 6 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday said the opposition to the relocation of the Defence Expo, scheduled to be held in March in Goa, was purely political.

"What is seen, is only political opposition to the Defence Expo. Only political parties seem to be orchestrating opposition to the project," Parsekar told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Panaji.

Traditionally held in the national capital, the Defence Expo, scheduled to be held in March, is being shifted to Goa, because a new convention centre is being built at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

However, DefenceExpo2016, which is the ninth in the series of biennial land, naval and internal Homeland Security Systems exhibitions organised by the defence ministry, has attracted opposition from the ruling BJP-led coalition government's political opponents as well as a section of the civil society over the allocation of six lakh sq.mts of land at the coastal village in Betul, 45 kms from Panaji, for the project.

While Parsekar and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has insisted that the Defence Expo is only a temporary project, the opposition to it has claimed otherwise.

Parsekar also reiterated that land had only been formally alloted to the defence ministry on a temporary basis.

"The land is being given to the ministry for four days to host the expo. The land has not been permanently allocated," Parsekar said.