MAPUSA
The dichotomy of the Goa Liberation Day was in full display in the commercial town of Mapusa on Saturday.
While on one side the leaders eulogised the contribution of freedom fighters in liberating Goa, a group of 60-odd lifeguards who are on fast unto death and expecting the government to hear them failed to get noticed.
Ports Minister Michael Lobo entered the Mapusa town, unfurled the national tricolour and read a well-scripted speech on the occasion of the 60th Goa Liberation Day at the government complex on Saturday but failed to even say hello to the protesting lifeguards.
The minister from Calangute, who prides of speaking his mind even after being part of the government, failed the lifeguards.
Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza also read a lengthy speech at a Goa Liberation Day function organised by the Mapusa Municipal Council and even felicitated a freedom fighter and some civic staff, but failed to even glance at the lifeguards who participated in the function from a distance albeit encircled by a pose of policemen near the Hutatma Chowk, Mapusa.
“Despite being on hunger strike for the last five days, we decided to take part in the Liberation Day function to pay our respect to the national flag and the freedom fighters with a hope the government will resolve our issues,” said Swati Kerkar, a union leader who is taking up the cause of the lifeguards.
According to NCP General Secretary Sanjay Barde, Goa may have been liberated from the foreign yoke 60 years ago but Goans were still subjugated and suppressed by the current bunch of our own rulers.
“We came out to take part in the Liberation Day function but were stopped by police and asked to observe the function from a distance,” Barde said.
Ironically, no one took notice of the protesting lifeguards on the Goa Liberation Day.
