the goan I network
MARGAO
Traffic and police authorities in the commercial capital find themselves in a tight spot as three religious events “ the famous Dindi festival, Muslim Julus and the feast of Our Lady of Rosary Church, Navelim, all falls on November 21 this year.
Members of the Muslim community have already called on TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai with a plea to grant permission to hold the Julus along the traditional route via the heart of the town on November 21 after last year’s confusion when the route was shifted to the Opinion Poll square.
The TCP Minister again had a meeting with the committee members of the Muslim community at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex, which was attended by senior officials, including Additional Collector Agnelo Fernandes, DySP Traffic Prabodh Shirwaikar, Margao Sub Divisional Police Officer, DySP Raju Raut Desai and others.
The meeting discussed the sensitive issue in the light of the request made by the Muslim community for permission to hold the Julus on the traditional route, starting from the Jamia Masjid, Malbhat to the MMC route, Metropole and Lohia Maidan before dispersing from the city. Around 20,000 persons are expected to participate in the traditional event, with people from different masjids participating in the procession with floats.
Members of the community have promised the Minister and the authorities that they would wind up the procession before 5 pm on November 21 before the commencement of the Dindi festival from the Hari Mandir temple. “Today, we have heard the Muslim community and the authorities on the issue of taking out the Julus procession on November 21. We will now invite the Hari Mandir committee to find out when exactly the traditional Dindi festivities will start in the city on that day,” the TCP Minister said, adding that the traffic and the police authorities are drawing up a plan how to ensure that all the three festivals take place smoothly.
Sardesai said he would take up the Director General of Police, Muktesh Chander the issue of making available additional policemen at the disposal of the Margao police for bandobast and traffic duties on November 21.
Aslam Sheikh later told the media that the authorities need not worry about any situation just because the three festivals are on one day. “We will take out the traditional Julus procession and will also participate in the Dindi festival and Navelim feast as well. All the three communities will celebrate the three events,” he added.
