----------------------------------------
TTAG BACKS DEFEXPO
--
WHY NOT HAVE DEFEXPO
AT MOPA, ASKS NCP
---
AAP FLAYS GOVT
OVER HANDLING
OF DEFEXPO ISSUE
--
>> See pg 7
----------------------------------------
MARGAO: The meeting called by Orixtt Porjecho Avaz and Congress party, which was slated for today (Sunday) at Betul to oppose the DefExpo, had to be postponed at the eleventh hour after the Police insisted that the organisers submit relevant documents of the survey number of the meeting venue.
The development drew instant flak from Orixtt Porjecho Avaz and the Congress leadership, terming the decision of the police as undemocratic and an attempt to subdue the democratic voice of the people. Unfazed and taking the government action in their stride, the OPA and the Congress party have now rescheduled the meeting for March 6 and have threatened to further intensify the agitation.
OPA spokesperson Freddy Fernandes said the government tried to subdue their democratic voice by scuttling their meeting scheduled for Sunday. “We had called for a huge meeting at Betul on Sunday. but unfortunately, the governed through undemocratic means have scuttled the meeting. At around 5.30 pm on Saturday, the police said we have not submitted the relevant
documents. The police insisted that we submitted Form I & XIV. This is for the first time that the police have insisted on Form I & XIV. This is highly undemocratic and dictatorial. The government’s whole game plan is to subdue the voice of the people,” he lamented.
"The OPA had planned to hold the meeting on Sunday near the residence of MLA Babu Kavlekar in his property. While the application for the vehicle permission was rejected outright, the application for permission for the meeting was kept on hold till late Saturday afternoon at 5.15, and then imposing the impossible condition thereby making time barred and thus unattainable," he said.
Saying that the people opposing the DefExpo will intensify their agitation across the state, Freddy said the OPA has resolved to reÂschedule the meeting for March 6.
The OPA also condemned the statement made by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar during his visit to the proposed DefExpo site. “The Chief Minister should have met us, the protestors, listened and addressed out issues in a democratic and peaceful manner. Instead, by calling in MLAs and BJP supporters from neighbouring constituencies, Parsekar had displayed cowardly behavior towards fellow Goans. The CM has branded us outsiders thereby attempting to divide the people living around the site”, Freddy said, while strongly condemning the CM’s statements.
The OPA also clarified that the DefExpo site falls within the jurisdiction of NaqueriÂBetul Panchayat, adding “this is clearly evident from the Regional Plan. Any neighbouring panchayat claiming otherwise are clearly misinformed and need to verify the facts.”
In the meantime, South Goa district Congress president Subhash Faldesai has condemned the decision to refuse permission for tomorrow meeting at Betul, terming the decision as highly undemocratic.
--------------------------
DECISION ON PERMANENT
VENUE AFTER ANALYSING
GOA DEFEXPO: PARRIKAR
PANAJI: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced that the Goa DefExpo will witness the presence of Defence Ministers from several countries, the launch of several indigenous weapons during the four day event.
Speaking to a select group of journalists, Parrikar said that the Ministry of Defence will decide whether to make Goa a permanent venue of the Defence Expo after analysing its Goa experience.
According to Parrikar in all 117 countries were invited and 44 countries have decided to participate with several countries sending either their Defence Ministers or their Chief of Staff.
Parrikar also announced that the Union Defence Ministry would be willing to fund permanent structures in the location that could during the rest of the year be used as an exhibition venue and earn revenue for the State government.When asked by journalists over the fate of the golf course at the Dabolim Naval base, Parrikar appeared to concede that the golf course is illegal at the naval base and that he had initiated an inquiry into it.
----------------------------
