Support gives protest wider social & political weight
GAKUVED Federation extended its support to the chain hunger strike by Chimbel villagers opposing the proposed Unity Mall.
PANAJI
As the chain hunger strike by Chimbel villagers opposing the proposed Unity Mall entered its 22nd day on Sunday, anticipation grew over CM Pramod Sawant’s likely announcement of the government’s stand following a rethink on the controversial project. The decision, expected early this week, as Sawant conveyed to the protesters last Thursday, could determine whether the agitation eases or intensifies further.
The protest, which began as a Chimbel-centric movement, has now drawn backing from the GAKUVED Federation, a State-wide umbrella body representing the Gauda, Kunbhi, Velip and Dhangar tribes. The Federation’s endorsement has given the agitation a broader social and political dimension, intensifying pressure on the government to reconsider the project.
At the site where a dozen villagers sat on a hunger strike, protesters remained firm in their resolve. ‘We will not budge’ has become the rallying cry there. The agitation has also attracted prominent activists, including Dnyaneshwar Pilgaonkar and Ramakrishna Jalmi of the GAKUVED, who visited the protest site to express solidarity.
Govind Shirodkar, chairman of the Chimbel Biodiversity Board, warned that if the government fails to take a concrete decision by Monday, the agitation could escalate further.
Tensions heightened last Thursday night when Chief Minister Sawant met the protesters at Merces Junction in a bid to calm tempers. There, Sawant explained to the villagers that the Unity Mall is a centrally sponsored project and that decisions cannot be taken hastily.
Sawant conceded some demands, such as notifying Toyyar lake as a wetland, but on the main demand of scrapping the project from Chimbel, he said he would have to hold consultations, including with the Central government, and sought time till Tuesday.
The issue has reverberated in the political arena as well, with Opposition leaders backing the protests and raising the matter forcefully in the recently concluded winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.
As the standoff enters a critical phase, all eyes are on the government’s rethink and the Chief Minister’s forthcoming stand. For Chimbel, Monday could either bring relief in the form of a rollback or mark the beginning of a more intense chapter in the struggle.
