File photo of GFDO convenor Fr Eremito Rebello addressing the media to oppose Mopa and retain Dabolim as Goa’s lone airport.
MARGAO
Question Goans For Dabolim Airport (GFDO) Convenor Fr Eremito Rebello on the failure of the long-drawn battle against Mopa, and don’t be surprised if he unequivocally blames politicians from Salcete and down South for letting down the anti-Mopa movement and the people waging a struggle against the new airport.
In fact, the Salcete-born activist priest, who had participated in many an agitation in the recent past, singled out Salcete’s then heavyweight leaders for not leading the anti-Mopa movement from the front to scrap the new airport.
On the other hand, Fr Eremito said the return of Manohar Parrikar back to power in 2012 and the return of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a boost to the new airport at Mopa with the Centre and the State, bulldozing its way in support of Mopa.
When asked to react to the politicians pointing accusing fingers at him for sidelining the political class in the agitation spearheaded by GFDO, Fr Eremito shot back “It was a conscious decision by GFDO not to allow the politicians to share its platform. There’s a reason behind the decision. Once bitten twice shy and we were apprehensive of the political class that they may hijack the anti-Mopa agitation to further their political interests. We had a bitter experience with the anti-Konkan railway agitation.”
Demanding to know what had stopped the politicians from working under the GFDO banner, Fr Eremito said, “We had sought support from the political class to the anti-Mopa airport agitation. Nothing had prevented them from mobilizing the people in support of the agitation under GFDO banner.”
With the Mopa airport now set to become a reality, Fr Eremito said the day will not be far when the Dabolim airport will be shut down. “Our main ground against Mopa airport was that two airports cannot co-exist and one would be eventually shut down. “They will shut down Dabolim one day on the pretext the airport is required for defense purposes. But, the actual reason why they will close the Dabolim airport to is to ensure Mopa becomes financially viable,” he added.
