A day after facing flak from locals over verbal assurances to shift tracks at the troubled Velsao area, Cortalim MLA Anton Vas roped in Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to visit the site on Thursday and douse the raging flames of rebellion and uncertainties.
A section of villagers, propelled by activists, has given a resounding vote of no confidence a day after the South Western Railway officials’ announcement that tracks are being shifted to the eastern side to save houses. Vas’ role as a mediator between agitating locals and the railways appears to have political undercurrents as protestors picked holes and tore down arguments about the railways showing an inclination to accommodate the interests of locals.
So, when Sawant descended on the site, his job was to reassure people and, at the same time, do a damage-control for Vas. And he did just that. Sawant began by telling how “his government is finding solutions wherever possible” and soon switched to heaping lavish praise of Vas. The CM devoted much of his speech to praising Vas and how the government would back all his proposals. “Vas is doing an excellent job, and his constituency will not lag in development”, thundered Sawant. It remains to be seen if the mission is accomplished.
The Railways have made an announcement, and so has Vas, that the track will be shifted to save houses. Vas has endorsed that decision, and the CM has backed the MLA to the hilt. So the question now is whether there is a genuine distrust or whether sheer politics is pulling the issue apart. Indications are that Railways have changed course and have reconciled to some of the problems put forth by the villagers. On the flip side, Vas, who has been the principal negotiator, has gained sizeable political traction in the process.
Ironically, political leaders, including the former MLA who watched the double-tracking episode unfold right under their noses and who were unsuccessful in forcing a change despite being rooted in the BJP, have risen to create a flutter knowing well that there are high political stakes in the issue.
Fighting against double-tracking at the Cansaulim-Velsao stretch appears an exercise in futility at this stage, with the Railways already completing the majority portions of works, even in areas earlier hit by various land controversies. In this context, it would make better sense to go with the assurance of the Railways that no houses will be demolished and work on a broad consensus.
It is time that the aggrieved locals understand the underlying politics on the track doubling at Velsao and go with the assurance given by Railways, the chief minister and the MLA because that’s their only thread of hope. Expressing suspicion, creating doubts and assigning motives will not help remedy the situation at this stage. An escalation of the problem is not in the interest of people whose houses and properties are in line. Let better sense prevail.
