MARGAO
As the new government braces up to take over the reigns of office after Holi, the festival of colours, one question that has come to haunt the political class and citizens alike is “ how would the new dispensation interpret the 2022 electoral verdict vis-Ã -vis the three linear projects, whether it’s a verdict against the projects or will it treat it as a mandate to take the projects to the logical conclusion?
The Congress had gone to the people with a firm promise to scrap the controversial three linear projects if the party returns to power in 2022. The main opposition party, however, has been left stranded midway in its determined bid to form the government. The party has won a couple of seats where the anti-coal and track doubling agitation has been most felt, including the epicentre of the agitation, the Chandor-Guirdolim area in the Cuncolim constituency.
Indeed, it is a sheer coincidence that when the Congress had lost the 2020 Guirdolim Zilla Panchayat seat by a whisker, the ruling establishment had gone to the town saying that the BJP has won despite the area being the epicentre of the anti-coal and track doubling agitation, going to the extent of interpreting the poll result as a verdict in support of the projects.
Areas such as the twin villages of Chandor and Guirdolim, in Cuncolim constituency, besides Majorda in Nuvem constituency, which has been the forefront of the agitation against the three linear projects have now voted for the Congress.
That’s not all. A couple of vocal anti-coal activists and politicians, including Aam Admi Party leaders, Capt. Venzy Viegas (Benaulim) and Cruz Silva (Velim), Vijai Sardesai (Fatorda), Congress MLAs Aleixo Sequeira (Nuvem) and Yuri Alemao (Cuncolim), besides Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco are amongst the politicos who have been elected to the Assembly in the just concluded election.
NO, say Goyant Kollso Naka and Goencho Ekvott; to take on govt
MARGAO
As the dust raised over the assembly elections have finally settled down, organizations spearheading the agitation against the three linear projects, the Goyan Kollso Naka and Goencho Ekvott, have sent out a message loud and clear that Goans, in general, will not allow any government that comes to power to bulldoze with the three linear projects.
“The elections are over, and the people opposing the three-linear projects are all bracing up to take on the new government to scrap the projects”, Goyant Kollso Naka, co-convenor Abhijit Prabhudesai told The Goan.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that the BJP may take the stand that the people of Goa are not in favour of scrapping the three linear projects as they have not given the mandate to the Congress, which had vowed to scrap the projects, Abhijit shot back saying, “The BJP cannot take this stand for the simple reason that the ruling party has not been given a clear mandate by the people of Goa. Can the BJP claim they have the mandate of the people if you go by the vote percentage? Goans by and large are opposed to the linear projects, and the government of the day will have to respect their sentiments. If not, the people will fight tooth and nail till the last to protect and save Goa from destruction”, Abjijit asserted.
Goencho Ekvott convenor Creson Antao said the organization will call on all the newly-elected MLAs and explain to them why the people have been agitating against the projects and why the three linear projects need to be scrapped.
Reminding that Congress had resolved to scrap the projects when the party comes to power, Creson said: “Though Congress has not returned to power, we expect all the party MLAs and others to rally behind the movement and get the projects scrapped. Some of the Congress MLAs such as Olencio Simoes and Capt. Viriato Fernandes have lost the election narrowly. That only goes to show that a large number of people have voted for the party”.
He said the organizations waging a battle will soon descend on the roads in the event the new government does not respect the sentiments of the people.
All eyes on Reginaldo as he extends support to BJP
MARGAO
With Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco extending his support to the BJP in forming the new government, organizations waging a battle against the three linear projects said they will be closely monitoring how the Curtorim MLA will go about vis-Ã -vis the three linear projects.
Goencho Ekvott convenor Creson Antao was clear in saying that they would all wait and see whether Reginaldo will speak for Goa after assuming office as a minister in the government or toe the line of the BJP.
“Reginaldo has been part and parcel of the anti-coal and track doubling project agitation. He has been with us all day and night, giving us ideas and suggestions on how to go about, fighting inside and outside the assembly against these controversial projects. It will be a testing time for Reginaldo since he has been with the people in opposing the three linear projects”, Creson added.
WILL WORK WITH PARTY IN OPPOSING PROJECTS: YURI
MARGAO
The epicentre of the stir against the three linear projects, the Chandor-Guirdolim area, have voted for the Congress, as party's nominee Yuri Alemao wrested the Cuncolim seat from the Congress-turned-BJP sitting MLA Clafasio Dias with a comfortable margin.
What’s more important is that the people of Chandor, Guirdolim and neighbouring Macazana has solidly rallied behind Yuri and the Congress to give him an unassailable lead. And, Yuri has been clear in saying that it’s now his turn to stand by his people who have voted for him in the election. “The Congress had gone to the people with a clear promise that the three linear projects will be scrapped if the party returns to power. The Congress does not have the numbers to scrap the projects, but I want to reassure my people that I will work shoulder to shoulder with them in opposing the projects”, he said.
He added: “The people have given me the mandate to represent them in the assembly, and I will voice the demand of the people both within and outside the Assembly against the controversial projects”.
Cong working prez says party will go by wishes of people
MARGAO
Congress has said that the party would firmly stand by the people of Goa in opposing the three linear projects.
Reminding that the promise to scrap the three projects was given by none other than Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, party working president Aleixo Sequeira has said that the party would go by the wishes of the people on the three linear projects.
“Congress and party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, had promised to scrap the three linear projects if the party returns to power. While the Congress fell short of the numbers to form the government, the party would rally behind the people in opposing the three linear projects both inside and outside the Goa Legislative Assembly”, Sequeira said.
He added: “People of Nuvem constituency, which have been opposing the track doubling and other projects, have stood by the Congress. People of Majorda village in my constituency had been waging a battle against the track doubling project and, I and my party will stand by the people to get the three linear projects scrapped”.
