Congress and BJP worker come face-to-face on the last day of the four-day vaccination at Margao. Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Congress and BJP workers nearly came to blows on the last day of the Tika Utsav vaccination in Margao on Thursday as the two groups jostled to serve refreshments and snacks to the healthcare workers and ferry the beneficiaries in their ambulances.
Heated exchanges ensured between the two groups as they sparred right in front of the Health team headed by Margao Urban Health Centre Dr Anju Kharangate before they were told to move out of the vaccination hall.
Trouble started in the morning when the Congress workers led by Margao Municipal vice-Chairperson and Councillor Deepali Sawal stopped BJP city leader Parag Raikar from entering the Daivadnya community hall complex, the venue for the vaccination with his vehicle carrying refreshments.
An infuriated Parag reminded the MMC vice-Chairperson that the Tika Utsav is a government-sponsored programme and not a Council affair, and insisted on entering the complex. Not to be left behind, Deepali questioned Parag as to who has given him the authority to arrange for refreshments for the health care workers when the local Councillor and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat have put all the arrangements in place, including refreshments and ambulances to ferry the citizens.
Heated exchanges ensued between Parag and Deepali as the MMC vice-Chairperson stopped the vehicle, even as the BJP leader was heard saying the vaccination is a government programme and the Councilor has no right to stop him for arranging the refreshments.
The duo were soon joined by other BJP and Congress workers as the scene shifted inside the vaccination centre when Parag insisted in serving the refreshments saying the programme is being organized by the BJP government at the initiative of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
As the stalemate continued for some time, BJP and Congress workers from the city rushed to the vaccination centre. BJP city leaders Sunil Naik, Sharmad Raiturkar and Naveen Raiturkar along with others made their presence felt at the centre and were involved in a spat with the rival Congress workers.
Parag told The Goan that the MMC vice-Chairperson was insisting for the authority letter allowing him to arrange the refreshments. “This is not a Congress party programme. The Tika Utsav has been initiated by the BJP government. The Councillor is not aware of her rights”, Parag cried foul.
Deepali countered by saying the vaccination programme has been initiated by the Margao MLA by writing letters to the district Collector, while accusing the BJP of seeking cheap publicity.
While Parag questioned Deepali over Kamat’s absence at the Adarsh school vaccination programme, the MMC vice-Chairperson shot back saying the Margao MLA was ignored and was not even invited for the programme.
As the Congress workers were hell bent in not allowing the vehicle inside, Parag and the BJP workers were later seen carrying the refreshments inside the complex.
The problem did not end there. The presence of ambulances with party banners later became a bone of contention between the two groups. Sensing trouble, the Margao Police personnel on duty got the ambulances arranged by the two groups out of the complex after BJP workers insisted they cannot remove the logo since the party has sponsored the ambulance.
The Margao police were deployed in strength at the vaccination centre as precautionary measure.
