the goan I network
VASCO
Vasco BJP MLA and KTC Chairman Carlos Almeida on Tuesday demanded a public apology from Ajay Kumar Singh, General Manager of South Western Railways (SWR) over his Portuguese remarks against Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha.
Speaking to media persons in Vasco, Almeida said he stood by Saldanha on two issues, the railways issue and the insulting language used by Singh.
“What Singh said was in bad taste. Former CM late Manohar Parrikar had convened a meeting with the railways and he had asked for details on the number of houses that would be affected as a result of the double-tracking project. But till date, we have not received any details from the railways.”
“The Railways is trying to force their way through with the project and is taking us for a ride. It has not explained to us the benefit of double-tracking for Goans,” said Almeida.
“Houses existed in Goa much before the railways arrived in the State. Saldanha was right in her claims that houses along the tracks are heritage houses and are over 500 years old.”
“How could the SWR General Manager Ajay Kumar Singh call her a non-Goan? He has to apologise and has to do it publicly or we will have to raise a protest against him,” said Almeida.
The controversy had arisen when Singh had arrived at the Vasco Railway station on Sunday to inaugurate a 100-foot flag post installed opposite the Vasco railway station at Subrai Joshi Chowk.
Singh’s visit in Vasco was also a part of a routine annual inspection, covering several railway stations between Hubli and Vasco to check for safety parameters of railways, bridges and tracks.
Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha along with Cansaulim Sarpanch Martha Saldanha and others had also gone to the Vasco Railway station to register their opposition towards the double-tracking of railways in Cortalim constituency.
Singh had said the SWR would go with the decision of the central and state governments to go ahead regarding the doubling of railway tracks between Hubli section and Vasco railway station.
When Saldanha reminded him that doubling of tracks, which passes through several villages in Cortalim, would lead to destruction of environment and houses, rendering people homeless, Sing is reported to have replied that Goans under the Portuguese rule were once an invading force and Goans had also destroyed many houses present in India for hundreds of years.
Saldanha, however, took strong objection to Singh using the word ‘Portuguese’ while referring to her and the people of Cortalim constituency and threatened to take up the issue with the central government. Singh later apologised and
withdrew his “Portuguese” comments.
