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Activists, politicians and villagers got together in condemning the brutal attack on a local activist, Ravindra alias Pravin Chopdekar, while also demanding that the proposed IT Park project be shifted out from Chimbel. At the protest meet held in Chimbel on Sunday, various speakers lambasted the IT minister for the assault on Chopdekar which they alleged was carried at his behest. Chopdekar was recently was battered and bruised by goons no sooner he spoke against the proposed IT park at Chimbel.
Speaker after speaker assailed the the perpetrators of the assault terming it as an attempt to silence the voice of the villagers against IT Park. Activist Rama Kankonkar said, “They thought that by attacking one person the voice of others would be silenced. But on the contrary more and more people have risen against the IT Park.”
Convener of the State unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Elvis Gomes said voice of the people must be respected. Lambasting the incident of assault, he said, “It appears that the government has not been able to kill Goans by formalin and is now resorting to assault.” Gomes further said that the government should first produce IT engineers in Chimbel, the people will then themselves set up an IT park which be be of more significance. However, Gomes, opined that the entire village would have to rise up in unison if they want the IT Park scrapped. “Until and unless the blood of Chimbel locals boils Chopdekar wouldn’t get justice.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande called upon the people to hit the streets to stop the IT Park from coming up at Chimbel and save nature. “It is our natural heritage which will be destroyed. There is a 100-year-old lake which provides water to Panaji. It has to be protected. On the one hand, we cry for water and on the other, we destroy water resources,” Sakhardande stated while cautioning that IT Park would spell doom for the natural resources of the village.
Former MLA Victoria Fernandes asked the government to give the people what they wanted. “If we do not save our natural resources now, then it will be lost forever,” she added while condemning the attack on Chopdekar. “You (referring to the govt) have come here to start riots. We won’t allow that to happen. Till the last breath, I will fight for Goa,” she stated.
An activist from Merces, Sudesh Kalangutkar, said one of their members was assaulted in similar fashion by the same gang. “There is a team of goondas and lawyer of the minister. The goondas assault and the lawyer defends them,” Kalangutkar stated and criticised the local panchayat for not attending the meeting barring one panch.
Rudolf Fernandes, Tara Kerkar, Siddharth Karapurkar, Arturo D’Souza, Krishna Murgaonkar, Govind Shirodkar, Ana Gracias, Elsa Dias and others spoke at the protest meet organised by Chimbel Gram Seva Kala ani Sanskrutik Manch.
