OLD GOA
Stating that the Congress will not keep quiet till the Old Goa structure is demolished, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar requested the satyagrahis to stop the protest at the site given the rains.
Speaking at the meet to commemorate 200 days of satyagraha, Patkar said, “For 200 days you are sitting here on satyagraha. On behalf of Congress, I am requesting you to stop the satyagraha at the site due to the incessant rains. I assure you that till the demands of the satyagrahis are not fulfilled by the government, Congress will not keep quiet.”
“We will take the issue very seriously and make sure that the government is forced to fulfil all the demands of the satyagrahis. Our legislative wing will also strongly take up the issue in the upcoming Assembly session,” he added.
Patkar further took a dig at TCP minister Vishwajit Rane for not showing his recent aggression with respect to the Old Goa structure.
“In recent times, the TCP minister has become very aggressive with regards to illegalities. But, if he has that much love for Goa, then he should have first shown his aggression over the illegal structure here in Old Goa,” Patkar opined and expressed surprise that an FAR of 400 is being proposed near world heritage sites.
“We have never heard of an FAR of 400 before. The TCP minister talks about outsiders settling along the Calangute belt. Will an FAR of 400 benefit Goans?” Patkar questioned.
St Cruz MLA Rudolf Fernandes said that he will always support the satyagrahis in their demand for demolition of the structure.
“I will also raise the issue in the Assembly and request the government to fast track the case so that the structure is demolished at the earliest as there is fraud committee through bogus means,” Fernandes pointed out.
“During Parrikar government’s regime, a toilet was built here and that time late Fr Bismarque Dias had got it demolished after going to the court. Despite that, how this structure has been allowed to come up?” he posed.
Congress leader Viriato Fernandes also requested the satyagrahis to temporarily suspend the agitation till the rains get over.
“During that period a symbolic protest could be held now and then,” he suggested while expressing concern that the government is not moved a bit even as the satyagraha has completed 200 days.
