Appeal to Parrikar to allow Anjediva Island visit
The annual feast is on February 2
THE GOAN NETWORK
CANACONA
A social worker in Canacona has requested Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to allow citizens to visit the Anjediva Island for atleast one day in a year to celebrate the annual feast on the island’s church on February 2.
In a letter addressed to Parrikar, Natividade De Sa, writing on behalf of citizens of Canacona taluka, also made a specific mention that acceding to the request would be Parrikar's gift to the people of Canacona taluka.
De Sa informed that the Anjadiva Island has a rich history of heritage and religious significance to the people of Goa.
“Our ancestors have been mentioning to us that even a school was first founded on the island, but later shifted to the mainland of Goa.”
“There was a chapel which was upgraded to a church and the people from different religious faiths from the mainland of Goa regularly attended the feast on the island every year on February 2, till recently civilians were completely barred from visiting the island citing national security issues, following Navy’s sea-bird project in neighbouring Karwar district of Karnataka,” said De Sa, who was awarded by the State government for social work two years ago.
“Since you are a Goan and at the helm of affairs of the defence ministry, every Goan and particularly residents of Canacona taluka would by highly obliged, if you allow citizens to visit this island atleast once a year, especially on the occasion of the feast on February 2,” De Sa wrote to Parrikar.
“There is also a need to bring to the knowledge of today’s youth the history of the rich heritage of this prestigious island once a pride of Goa. We hope you will give us a gift by acceding to our request on your coming birthday,” De Sa said, also marking a copy to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
