the goan I network
MARGAO
All India Congress President Rahul Gandhi joined a galaxy of Congress leaders and the people of Goa in paying respects to the former MP Shantaram Naik who passed
away at his Gogol residence on Saturday.
The Congress president spoke to Shantaram’s wife Beena and son Archit over the phone as he offered his condolences to the family over the death of the long-time loyal soldier of the party and former MP.
A stream of visitors including a galaxy of political leaders from across the political spectrum descended on Shantaram’s Gogol residence throughout Saturday.
Ministers in the BJP-led coalition government, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, Health Miniter Vishwajit Rane and Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar visited Shantaram’s Gogol residence. Congress leaders, including party MLAs, GPCC President Girish Chodankar and heads of frontal organizations including Mahila Congress Chief
Pratima Coutinho were also present.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, who shared a close rapport with Shataram, described him as a decent human being and a fighter. He recalled how Shantaram had sanctioned many projects in Fatorda constituency from MPLAD scheme. Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar said the former MP was the voice of the people of Goa during his tenure as a MP.
Margao MLA and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said Shantaram’s contribution to Goa will never be forgotten.,The former MP raised a host of issues dear to the heart of Goans in Parliament. He was a dedicated and loyal party solider,” Kamat said.
Expressing shock over the sad demise, GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar said Shantaram was one leader who had taken up many issues and won the hearts of the people of Goa. Be it issues such as statehood, Konkani agitation, special status for Goa to protect Goemkarkpoon, he was there, Chodankar recalled. “He had no craving for any post, but rose to become a tall leader in the party,” he said,
adding Shantaram was closely associated with the Congress ideology.
Former Chief Minister Ravi Naik recalled his close association with Shantaram when he was the state Chief Minister and Naik the GPCC president. “Shantaram had raised numerous issues affecting Goans in Parliament during his stint in office,” he added.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco said that Shantaram was a sincere Congressman and had left for the heavenly abode leaving a shining legacy on how to serve people.
Former Chief Ministers Pratapsing Rane and Luizinho Faleiro, Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar, MLAs Churchill Alemao, Clafacio Dias, Francis Silveira, former Chief Minister Laxmimant Parsekar, BJP Leaders Rajendra Arlekar, Sadanand Tanawade, Damu Naik, Congress district President Joe Dias, Congress leader and Shantaram’s close friend Altinho Gomes, M K Sheikh, Sidhanath Buyao, Avinash Tavares, Sankalp Amonkar were amongst the hundreds of people who paid homage to the former MP after news of his demise spread across the state.
Meanwhile, GPCC president Girish Chodankar said that the Congress will hold a condolence meeting at the Congress House on Monday at 10.30 am. “After hearing the sad and shocking news of Shantaram’s death, we
cancelled our meeting scheduled at Mayem. The PCC meeting was also cancelled,”
he added.
Speaker Pramod Sawant, Revenue Minister Rohan Khaunte, former MLA Joaquim Alemao, former MP Eduardo Faleiro, former speaker Shambu Bandekar, Datta Naik, Sandesh Nanu Naik, Shanu Palondikar, Dileep Salgaokar also paid their condolences.
