MAPUSA
Calangute Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira on Friday said he was asked by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant not to carry out any development at the spot where Shivaji statue is erected.
“The panchayat had started work to install a high mast lamp at the Saligao-Calangute junction (where the statue of Shivaji stands now) in the end of April. But Chief Minister Pramod Sawant called me up and asked me not to carry out any development work in the area as he was busy in the Sanquelim civic elections and assured to get back in four to five days. But till today, I received no call from the CM,” said Sequeira, suggesting that the CM may have wanted the statue to come up at the site.
Sequeira on Friday also said that a certain section of the people tried to portray him as a villain on the Shivaji statue issue but the fact was that all 11 panchayat members were present for the fortnightly meeting when the resolution to remove the statue was unanimously passed.
The sarpanch also blamed a section of the vernacular press and some people from the Shivswarajya a group of Shiv Premis of Calangute for misleading the people that the panchayat wanted to “demolish” the statue, when actually the panchayat had asked the authorities to remove it.
“I have studied about the Chatrapathi Shivaji in Class 8 and 9 and I have great regards for the warrior king. A bust of Shivaji was already installed in the vicinity in 2022 and therefore I had suggested we will develop the entire place and install the bigger statue there. There are four roads converging near the junction which makes it an accident prone zone. That is why we did not want the statue to come up at the spot,” Sequeira said while addressing the media to clear his stand over the controversy.
A large gathering of Shiv Premis created a ruckus and also indulged in stone throwing outside the Calangute panchayat office on June 21, after the panchayat called the installation of the statue illegal by citing Supreme Court rulings and issued a notice to authorities to remove it within 10 days.
The Calangute sarpanch placed before the media a detailed correspondence on the issue of installation of the Shivaji issue beginning from the request of NOC received from the Shivswarajya Calangute to install the statue which finally culminated with the withdrawal of the notice by the panchayat to remove the statue.
“When we received the request of NOC for installation of the statue near the Calangute police station, we discussed it at the panchayat meeting and unanimously resolved to forward it to the deputy collector since the road belonged to the PWD,” Sequeira said.
The panchayat had also sent letters to every government department including the Collector and the Chief Minister on May 11 apprehending communal tension and breach of peace due to the attempt to install the Shivaji statue in the middle of the major district road at Calangute.
The statue was finally erected at the spot on June 3 without obtaining permission from any of the authorities.
“I go by the law and follow the Goa Panchayat Raj Act. I have done everything as per the procedure which is in black and white. I have not taken any decisions on my own but by taking all my panchayat members into confidence. So why blame only me in the incident?” Sequeira asked.
He said the entire controversy erupted because of a few local people from the Shivswarajya Calangute and a section of the media who misguided the Shiv Premis that the panchayat was going to demolish the statue.
“I have acted as per the law. Now, the ball is in the court of the government authorities,” he said.
