the goan I network
MARGAO
The last-minute stoppage of the Christmas midnight dance at the Woodbourne Country club in Nuvem by the police triggered a huge political row, with the Congress pointing accusing fingers at Fatorda MLA and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai and the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Team Congress led by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Chief Girish Chodankar, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, Congress leader Sidhanath Buyao and Parag Raikar slammed the TCP Minister, besides the CMO office, the police and the district collector for scuttling the traditional midnight dance at Nuvem, demanding to know whether midnight dances do not fit into the government’s narrative of Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn.
The Congress recalled how the BJP-led government in the past had cancelled the holiday on St Francis Xavier’s feast and insisted that the government and the TCP Minister have sabotaged the midnight dance organised to celebrate Christmas. They demanded an inquiry into the episode and action against the officials who sabotaged the dance by succumbing to the minister’s diktat.
Addressing the media at the District Congress office (South), Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa said the police used an old gram sabha resolution to scuttle the midnight dance at Woodbourne based on a complaint by two persons, who were unhappy with the gram sabha resolution calling for a stop to the pool party during Sao Joao festivities. “The gram sabha resolution had never opposed any dance or wedding at Woodbourne. The resolution had only opposed the pool party since there was traffic nuisance,” the Nuvem MLA said.
“When I inquired in the District Collectorate, I was informed that besides a minister, the CMO’s office called up on phone no 2419841 not to allow the dance. Stopping the dance at the last minute is a betrayal of Goemkarponn,” Wilfred added.
GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar said the midnight dance episode only reflects the administrative collapse and no rule of law in the State. “The police and the collector should have either granted or rejected permission, but the authorities danced to the tunes of the TCP Minister to deny permission at the last minute, leaving hundreds of people disappointed who had gone for the dance after the Christmas midnight mass,” Girish said.
Saying that Christmas midnight dances are held all over to celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus, Girish said the BJP government and the TCP Minister have created hurdles as part of their hidden agenda. “Let there be a detailed inquiry. The last-minute cancellation of the show resulted in loss worth lakhs of rupees. Food cooked for the occasion went waste,” he said, while demanding that those found guilty for doing the bidding of the minister should not go unpunished.
Congress leader Sidhanath Buyao said what has happened at Nuvem is jungle raj, while pointing fingers directly at the TCP Minister and the Chief Minister’s office. While the police have stopped the midnight dance at Nuvem, the SGPDA played host to a dance hosted by Sardesai’s close supporter, he said. “Why was the Nuvem dance stopped when the TCP Minister holds Carnival celebration at Fatorda by closing down roads and serving beverages?” Buyao demanded to know.
