SANGUEM:
A day after the Sanguem Municipal Council resolved to install the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Children's park in front of the Sanguem Church, Sanguem councillor Meshu D'Costa at a press conference held today urged the proponents of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj from across Goa to verify whether the site proposed by the six councilors to install the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is appropriate or whether the site suggested by the four opposition councilors is ideal to install the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
D'costa informed that that it is possible to place the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the same site where the statue of Bahusaheb Bandodkar is currently located. It would be more visible and easily accessible for anyone to pay regular visits to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at this location rather than getting it installed in the interiors.
Meshu informed that the site suggested by the six councilors is owned by the Sanguem Municipality and is just opposite the Our Lady of Miracles Church, Sanguem. The installation of the statue at this site which is presently used as Children's park would definitely not be an ideal place as it bound to infuse tensions when events are held simultaneously at the two locations which are barely around 70 to 80 metres away from each other.
It is in the best interest of maintaining the existing communal harmony that a proper verification and study needs to be done before the authorities decide to install the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the children's park.
D'costa also claimed that for the meeting held on Tuesday March 4 at the council office, the topic of installation of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was not on the agenda. However, the Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phaldessai raised this issue and we did not oppose the discussion on the issue of the installation of the statue at Sanguem but what we strongly oppose and condemn is its installation opposite the Sanguem Church.
