MARGAO
Noted Konkani writer and former MLA Uday Bhembre thundered at the historic Lohia Maidan, Margao on Tuesday asserting that those who are trying to destroy the country by spoiling its peace and unity are anti-national.
He also demanded to know from Congress-turned-BJP Margao MLA Digambar Kamat whether the MLA will allow the Muslims and Christians from his constituency will be treated as second-class citizens given that the BJP’s agenda is to make Hindu rashtra.
Bhembre also posed a similar question to the Christian MLAs in the BJP and the Christian MLAs, who have recently defected to the BJP, whether they want the Christians in the state to be treated as second-rated citizens when the BJP’s avowed agenda is towards Hindu rashtra.
In his spirited address at the Civil Society’s initiative at the Lohia Maidan under the banner of Goemkar Ek Pavl Ekcharachem, Bhembre urged the peope of Goa remain alert and to further strengthen the age old community amity and unity given that communalism is raising its ugly head in the state.
“Let us take a pledge today to strengthen our unity. They are trying their best to foment trouble and divide the people. Statues of Shivaji Maharaj and Lord Parashuram are being installed overnight. This is provocation to ensure that someone opposes them and causes a confrontation. We have to maintain alert”, he said.
Bhembre said that realizing that it will not be easy to achieve the Hindu rashta by changing the Constitution, an attempt is being made to drive away the minorities from their place of habitation.
“We have seen this trend in Manipur wherein Christian churches have been razed down and the people displaced. We have seen this in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and other states where bulldozers are deployed to demolish houses of Muslims to scare them away from their habitation”, he added.
In his fiery speech, social activist Rama Kankonkar said he would do everything to protect the age old communal harmony between Hindus and Christians. Charging Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for making repeated reference to Portuguese in his speeches, Rama termed it as an attempt to divide the two religious communities.
Accepting the gauntlet thrown by Social Welfare Minister Subhash Faldesai that no outsider will be allowed in Rivona village where the government has zeroed in to set up the IIT project, Rama said he would surely enter the Rivona village saying the village is not the Minister’s property.
Social activists, who addressed the meeting, charged the government for bringing the people on the streets, right from Pernem to Sanguem, Nauxim and Vasco to oppose their ill-conceived projects.
Shankar Polgi said the government has closed its eyes to the illegal activities in the state, saying the people of Goa will unitedly opposes moves to make Goa a coal hub.
In his address, Covnenor Anant Agni said that the 450 years of Portuguese rule could not divide the people of Goa and vowed to maintain the age old amity and brotherhood. Saying that Lord Ram and Shivaji Maharaj are in the hearts of the people, Agni reminded that Christians too had fought alongside Hindus to liberate Goa from the Portuguese.
Former student leader Prashant Naik, Rajan Ghate, Sanjay Naik, Mathew D’Costa, Dr Jorson Fernandes, Adit Desai and others spoke at the meeting.
