MARGAO: In a new twist to the controversy surrounding the naming of the South Goa district hospital under construction, the History Lovers Group has on Monday demanded that the hospital should be named after the founder of the 150-year-old Hospicio hospital, Fr Antonio Joao de Miranda.
The demand by the History Lovers Group comes against the backdrop of demand raised in many quarters that the South Goa district hospital should be named after the father of the Opinion Poll Dr Jack de Sequeira.
Addressing the media, History Lovers Group President Yogesh Nagvenkar said the new district hospital should be named after the great Goan Fr Antonio Joao de Miranda popularly known as Padre Miranda.
Nagvenkar said in this era of modernization, one cannot forget the contribution of Padre Miranda and the legacy he has left behind. Also, we should thank the Hospicio staff for their immense contribution in serving the society, he added.
He said the History Lovers Group will immediately petition the Chief Minster Manohar Parrikar, Health Minister, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to name the new district hospital after Padre Miranda. He was addressing the media along with History Lovers Group secretary Raghuvendra Bhonsale and Sampada Nagvenkar, treasurer.
The demand to name the South Goa district hospital after father of the Opinion Pol Dr Jack de Sequeira was first raised by the Aquem-Baixo panchayat body led by Sarpanch Siddesh Bhagat. Former Congress Chief Minister and Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, while taking potshots at the coalition government for making a hype over the Opinion Poll day celebrations, had demanded that the district hospital should be named after Jack Sequeira.
Former Minister Mickky Pacheco had then joined the bandwagon demanding that the coalition government should name the district hospital after Jack Sequeira as a true respect to the Father of the Opinion Poll.
