MARGAO
A delegation of citizens from Salcete and surrounding areas called on Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar with a plea to install a statue of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, within the Margao Municipal limits.
Though the request from the citizens comes just days after a delegation of Yuv Sanjivani made a plea to the MMC to install the statue of Maratha Warrior Shivaji Maharaj in the city, activist Pratima Coutinho stated that the demand for the installation of Mahatma Gandhi has nothing to do with the demand for statues of other personalities. She further sought to clarify that the citizens' group is not opposed to statues of personalities installed in the city or elsewhere in the district.
In the memorandum, the delegation stated that there is no statue of Mahatma Gandhi, who is the Father of the Nation, in Margao, which is the major town of South Goa.
“Mahatma Gandhi is adored, admired and respected by people not only in India but by people all over the world, irrespective of their religion, race, caste, sex or place. The ideology and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, which are based on the ideas of non-violence, truth, justice, political tolerance and religious pluralism, are fundamental to creating a more equitable and compassionate world, and are acknowledged by people all over the world,” the memorandum added.
The delegation pointed out that in the present critical situation prevailing in India, it is necessary to annihilate the ideology of hatred, divisive and sectarian values. “It is necessary that we install statues of leaders who promote and preach peace, unity and secularism as proposed and promised by the Constitution of India,” the delegation stated.
The MMC Chief gave a patient hearing to the delegation, saying the MMC will take a call and send the memorandum to the government for action.
