THE GOAN NETWORK
PONDA
The Jan Jagruti Melava organised by the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) in Shiroda on Sunday evening was greeted with a huge gathering which filled the Shiroda Pride Hall, in spite of more than one religious function happening in the vicinity.
Present at the function were GPCC President Girish Chodankar, former CM and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, South Goa Congress District President Joe Dias, Mahila Congress State Secretary Adv Diya Shetkar, Mahila Congress leaders Muktamala Fondvekar, Sneha Fondekar, PCC members Govind Desai, Subhash Phaldesai and several other leaders attended the Jan Jagruti Melava.
A salient feature of the Jan Jagruti Melava was the huge turnout of the Scheduled Caste tribes who reside in the remote areas of Shiroda including Makadmari and Dhangar community residing in the Nirankal area of Shiroda.
GPCC President Girish Chodankar while speaking at the function came down heavily on former Congress MLA from Shiroda Subhash Shirodkar who recently defected to the BJP.
“Subhash Shirodkar who harped on development has done no development at all, except for his own development. The people in Karai Bethoda, Nirankal, Vazangal, Bondbag, Duttagad and Mankem have no proper roads, no street lights, no reliable drinking water, no garbage collection or disposal, no drainage and residents of Makadmari and the Dhangar community are treated as non Goans in spite of residing in the area for more than 40 years. They are not given ownership of their own land which they have been cultivating and maintaining for over 40 years.”
Former CM Digambar Kamat speaking at the function also criticized Subhash Shirodkar for defecting to the BJP for personal monetary gains.
Adv Diya Shetkar thanked the residents of Vazangal, Nirankal, Karai, Tarvalem, Mankem and other remote parts of Shiroda constituency who came in large numbers to support the party.
Muktamala Fondvekar raised the issues of the tribal people of Shiroda and vowed to sort out all the problems faced by the tribal women.
