Panaji, Oct 28 (IANS): The Congress has criticised the BJP-led government in Goa for excluding Union minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik, state Sports Minister Govind Gaude and others from Swayampurna Ferry (open decorated vehicle) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of 37th National Games in Goa.

PM Modi had gone around the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium waving the crowd in an open decorated vehicle along with Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP's Goa unit president Sadanand Tanawade, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP.

"Not only Shripad Naik... the BJP has humiliated Sports Minister Govind Gaude and South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha by excluding them on this vehicle," Congress Media Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar said.

Panjikar said that it was a shameful act of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who did it on the instruction of the Prime Minister.

"As a minister of the state's Sports department, Govind Gaude may have taken efforts for preparation of national games, then why he was excluded from the 'Swayampurn Ferry' by giving the opportunity to BJP state president," Panjikar questioned.

According to him, it was the right of Govind Gaude to stand with the Prime Minister, and not of Sadanand Tanawade.

"The BJP is always trying to ridicule OBC, ST, SC and minority communities all over the country. People have not forgotten the lies of BJP on political reservations for the ST Community, and how former President Ram Nath Kovind," Panjikar said.