Day after lathicharge, Goa Congress gifts bouquets to cops

Panaji, Oct 21 (IANS) A day after Goa police lathi-charged Youth Congress workers protesting peacefully against an ongoing poker tournament here, a party delegation on Thursday offered bouquets, cards and chocolates to police officials who were present at the protest site.

"The minds of the police are corrupted either by casino virus or BJP virus which they need to get rid of. So we have gifted them 'get well soon cards', flowers and chocolates. They should follow the rule of law and not just lathicharge peaceful protesters," state Congress president Girish Chodankar told reporters after meeting sub-divisional police officer Sandesh Chodankar.

"We will fight them using Mahatma Gandhi's ideology," he said.

Several Congress workers, including women, were injured during the lathi charge which took place opposite the shore offices of casino companies. The protest was staged against an ongoing poker festival in a casino.

According to police, the Congress workers did not have permission for the protest march.