PANAJI
The battle lines were drawn when the Goencho Avaaz named 14 politicians for allegedly benefiting from the Regional Plan 2021, with the politicians hitting back by threatening defamation cases against the activists.
The war has now intensified, with the Goencho Avaaz not only accepting the challenge, but has now gone a step ahead by threatening to expose further such land conversion deals of political leaders in the near future.
At a massive public meeting at Lohia Maidan, Margao, the Goencho Avaaz had named 14 politicians, including ministers and MLAs, cutting across party lines, who have allegedly benefited out of the Regional Plan 2021.
Outraged by the allegations, many politicians named in the list hit back by strongly refuting the allegations and even threatening to file defamation cases against the activists for sullying their reputations.
Despite being under fire from politicians, Goencho Avaaz convenor Capt. Viriato Fernandes has accepted the challenge of political leaders and said Goans had now become alert.
“People elected these leaders to preserve and protect Goa, but they have misused their power for personal gains. Our organisation will continue to expose other leaders, who have become extremely wealthy through land deals,” said Capt. Fernandes.
Asked why Goencho Avaaz had not named other prominent politicians who have been linked to land deals, Capt. Fernandes replied: “Names exposed at the public meeting in Margao is just the beginning and other land deals will be exposed in future.”
“Work to conduct a study and collect further evidence is in progress. Who are the politicians threatening with defamation cases? I came to this fight only after considering all these implications,” he added.
“It’s time for Goans to be awake and vigilant. Political leaders have bound the youth by luring them with various schemes and jobs. However, the people, and especially the youth, are upset and are slowly becoming frustrated,” said Fernandes, adding that the movement by Goencho Avaaz was only to protect the identity of the State.
Asked to comment on the church’s support to the movement at a time when it is also being targetted and accused of land deals on social media, Capt. Fernandes said: “Goencho Avaaz has received the support from church leaders. We are aware that messages and video clips are being circulated on social media alleging that the Church has also been linked to land deals.”
To another query on why the Goencho Avaaz had not also questioned the church on alleged land deals, Capt. Fernandes replied: “Our organisation’s stand is clear. If the church is also involved in questionable land deals, it should also be investigated. No one has stopped the government from doing so.”
“Some politicians are giving it a religious colour to save their reputation, but this ploy will not work,” said Capt. Fernandes.
Another Goencho Avaaz activist, Swapnesh Sherlekar claimed that some politicians in the list were now trying to defend themselves by claiming that they have no hand in land conversion deals.
“These people have set up companies and have purchased land in the names of their relatives or friends,” alleged Sherlekar.
“These lands have been shown in the settlement zone by misusing power. A petition will be filed demanding to an income tax inquiry on these political leaders,” he added.
“In the draft of RP 2001, false information had been provided that their lands were in the settlement zone. How can large hills and lakhs of square meters of land be included in the settlement zone,” questioned Sherlekar.
“If these politicians are not beneficiaries of the RP 2021, why have they not supported our movement to demand the scrapping of this plan,” he asked.
Movement got huge response from villages: Capt Fernandes
PANAJI: Goencho Avaaz convenor Capt. Viriato Fernandes claimed that a large number of people from all over North Goa had travelled to Margao to attend the meeting at Lohia Maidan.
“I had personally visited around 70-80 villages and had a dialogue with them. Youths have become depressed due to the unemployment and poverty is on the rise,” he added.
“People are being harassed under the pretext of various schemes. On one hand, educated youth do not get employment and on the other hand, politicians earn crores of rupees despite being semi-educated. Do these politicians possess magical wands,” asked Capt. Fernandes.
Capt leads unusual army to
wage a war of a different kind
PANAJI: When a retired captain returned to his birthland, little did he realise that he would be leading an unusual army to wage a war against adversaries of a different kind.
Born in Assnora, Capt. Viriato Fernandes served the nation for 26 years in the Navy and Air Force. In August 2017, he was promoted to the post of Captain and sought voluntary retirement in September 2017.
With keen desire to do some social work in the land of his birth, Capt. Fernandes returned to Goa and had plans to do something for the elderly people.
“On my return, I was, however, upset by the situation and state of affairs in the State. I saw corruption is unfolding in the state and unethical business on the rise. I then visited various villages to understand situation and ground realities.”
“After joining the anti-PDA public meeting in Panaji, I thought of joining this movement and that’s how the ‘Goencho Avaaz’ was formed.”
“I am not a worker or an activist. I am basically a military man,” claimed Capt. Fernandes.
