MARGAO
At exactly the stroke of midnight, when most Madgavkars were almost in bed, Malbhat “ the residence of five-time Margao MLA and former chief minister, Digambar Kamat, sprung to life as Kamat’s workers thronged the sleepy locality accompanied with traditional dhol and tash to usher in his 62nd birthday celebrations with a grand firework display.
As he cut the birthday cake in the presence of his Fatorda counterpart Vijai Sardesai in the makeshift pandal erected on the road, Kamat wondered why his workers were are so enthusiastic in celebrating a grand birthday this time with a huge display of banners and cut outs all across the city. And, he thundered in his inimitable fashion, attributing the workers’ enthusiasm and their show of solidarity with him at this odd hour to the Louis Berger case.
“Workers would not have thronged here at midnight for my birthday celebration. You had come at this very same place a couple of months ago when the government wanted to frame me in the Louis Berger controversy. Normally, 50-60 workers used to wish me on my birthday at midnight. But, the Louis Berger row has left my workers hurt. The ruling government has made angered them. I am against the display of banners and cut outs, but this time round I could not refuse when my workers insisted on displaying banners and cut outs across the city,” he asserted amidst loud cheers from
his workers.
And, then came Kamat’s fiat to his workers as the celebrations continued through the night. “Just now, my Fatorda counterpart Vijai Sardesai has called for unity to uproot this government in the coming election. We need to introspect and come to a conclusion. Our one point mission should be to remove this government from power and bring back a people’s government. Go and start the movement against the government from today,” he gave a call to his workers.
Saying that that people of Goa are looking for a change, Kamat called upon his workers to rise to the occasion and fulfill the wishes of the common man to end BJP’s rule. “I am confident that nothing will come in the way of the people from uprooting this government,” he added. Directing his tirade at his opponents for accusing him of getting elected with the support of the common man, Digambar said, “I am often accused that I move around with migrants, Muslims and the common man. One does not become famous because of one’s family, rather its on account of his work. Babasaheb Ambedkar became the Father of the Nation not because he was born in a dalit family but because of his excellence and work,” he said, while taking a dig at his opponents.
In his address, Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai made a plea to the workers to stand by Kamat to take ‘Goa forward’ in the coming year. “Kamat had given stability for five years when he ruled the State. Kamat was firmly rooted to the ground. He had to suffer, but he came out of that,”
Sardesai said.
He took a dig at Congress leaders, saying, “In Goa, there are too many grandfathers in the grand old party. But, unlike Kamat, they are not rooted to the ground. These leaders should leave their hangovers,” he said.
On Tuesday morning, a host of dignitaries came to wish Kamat on his birthday. While former health minister, Vishwajit Rane, MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, besides former ministers, Joaquim Alemao and Filipe Neri Rodrigues, were present during the cake-cutting ceremony,
Deputy Chief Minister, Francisco D’Souza, who was in Margao for a GSUDA function also visited Malbhat to extend his birthday wishes to the former chief minister.
