Hunger strike for separate Quelossim VP a flop
THE GOAN NETWORK
CORTALIM
The Cortalim-Quelossim panchas led by Sarpanch Hillario Figueiredo, who went on hunger strike on Tuesday to demand separate panchayat for Quelossim, turned out to be a flop with villagers least interested in the issue.
The panchas were squatting outside the panchayat building with only a handful of villagers giving them company.
Sarpanch Hillario Figuiredo, when asked if they had taken up the issue with Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha, showed various correspondence to substantiate his claim.
But when he was reminded that on February 27, this year, he praised Alina for her good works on the occasion of the opening of Alina’s Cortalim office, Figuiredo who is known to be close to Cortalim ZP member Antonio Vaz, said he had thanked Alina for the Cortalim market project and for the roads work in the constituency.
When asked what would be the panchayat's stand if the government refuses to heed to their request, Figuiredo said he would take a call after consulting the panchas and the villagers.
Criticising the hunger strike, Quelossim activist Lupino Xavier who had been spearheading the issue for separate panchayat ever since the present panchayat took over said the hunger strike was nothing but a political stunt.
“Our MLA Alina Saldanha has made it very clear that we will get a new panchayat for Quelossim before the election code of conduct. So, why this tamasha,” Xavier asked and criticised the panchayat members for creating the hype.
Another activist, Paulo Souza said people of Cortalim and Quelossim in particular will not be carried away by this political theatrics.
“People will see the educational background, profession, source of money and other core values of the candidates before deciding on the candidate who will represent them at the coming Assembly elections,” Souza said.
