MARGAO
As Tuesday marked two years since the historic Chandor midnight agitation on the night of November 1-2, 2020 brought thousands of Goans to the railway crossing, catapulting the controversial linear projects to the centre stage, social activists have vowed to fight to save the environment and the future of Goa, both legally and on the streets for the sake of posterity.
With the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd pursuing the track doubling project on the Majorda-Vasco stretch, notwithstanding the Supreme Court’s observations on the three-linear projects, bringing the Railways and the local administration face to face, activists and affected villagers seemed bracing up for a long battle in the courts and on the ground.
Social activist and co-convenor of Goyant Kollso Naka, Abhijit Prabhudesai, who has been charged by the Railway Police as well as by the Goa Police for leading the midnight agitation at Chandor on November 1-2 two years ago, said that the battle will continue till the last, asserting that truth will prevail and the people’s will finally triumph. “The government tried to discredit the agitation against the three-linear projects from day one. The Supreme Court observations on the three-linear projects have redeemed our focal point that the track doubling project is being pursued for coal transportation,” Abhijit said.
He added: “The Supreme Court order is clear and it is there for all to see. But, the government appears blind and has not gone by the letter and spirit of the Supreme Court order. Our battle on the ground will continue. For, we are convinced and the Supreme Court had redeemed our agitation, that the track doubling project is for the transportation of coal.”
Bracing up for another legal battle in the Supreme Court, Abhijit said the activists are preparing to move the Apex Court again on a host of issues. “I only want to make clear that people’s will and truth will finally prevail,” he added.
The Goencho Ekvott has also vowed to carry on the agitation against the three-linear projects. Goencho Ekvott convenor Creson Antao, who was one of the activists booked by the Goa Police for violating the Magistrate’s order at Chandor on November 1-2, 2020, said the Supreme Court order and its observations have accepted the points raised by the activists and environmentalists. He said that the agitation would have received a further boost if the political parties, which had all vowed to scrap the projects, had come to power in the State in 2022. Antao, however, said the agitation will continue both in the courts and on the ground as is evident at the Velsao stretch of the track doubling project. “Goencho Ekvott has extended all support to the villagers of Velsao. Our founder has even announced support to the panchayat to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of the High Court,” he said.
Both Abhijit and Creson said they welcome the false cases foisted against the activists by the Indian Railways and the Goa Police for participating in the November 1-2, 2020 agitation. “We have not committed any crime by participating in the agitation. Thousands of people from across Goa had poured in at Chandor with a single objective to save Goa for posterity. If the Goa government is charging us for our efforts to save the State for posterity, we welcome the charges. The truth will finally prevail,” the duo said.
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