MARGAO
Public Works Department Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday said that the government could not intervene to protect and preserve the ancestral house of Dr Francisco Luis Gomes since the structure was in private ownership.
Describing Dr Gomes as a great nationalist and a patriot, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat said the younger generation should draw inspiration from Dr Gomes by making him the great personality as their idol.
He was addressing an official function organised to mark the death anniversary programme of Dr Gomes at his memorial at Navelim on Tuesday morning.
Later, when the media asked him on the deteriorating condition of the ancestral house of Francisco Luis Gomes, Kamat said, “the house is presently a private property. It is a joint property owned by many shareholders. In the past, I had contacted one of the shareholders, who has been my friend. He was of the opinion that the family has not divided the property yet. We can see what can be done after the family works out a settlement.”
While addressing the official function in the presence of Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuenkar, former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro, former Minister Avertano Furtado, South Goa District Collector Egna Cletus, district police chief, Tikam Singh Verma, Parish Priest of Our Lady of Rosary Church, Navelim, Fr Gabriel Coutinho, the PWD Minister said, Dr Gomes was a great nationalist who came out with the concept of nation first.
“Dr Gomes, who was elected to Portuguese Parliament, raised his voice for the liberation of Goa and India from colonial rule. Besides, he was a great economist, surgeon, and great educationist. The younger generation should emulate his life and take inspiration to move forward,” he said.
In his address, former Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro recalled that when he made a speech in parliament that Dr Francisco Luis Gomes was the first freedom fighter of India, many including Prime Minister Narendra Modi evinced interest in my speech. “Indeed, Dr Gomes fought for the independence of India and Goa years before the Indian National Congress could take birth,” he said.
