MARGAO
Anti-coal and track-doubling protesters from Nuvem constituency descended on the residence of local BJP MLA Wilfred D’Sa on Sunday to find out from the MLA his decision to abstain from voting on the resolutions against the linear projects when they were expecting him to propose and speak certain things on the floor of the House in the just-concluded Assembly session.
The meeting between D’Sa and the group of protesters, however, could not take place as the Nuvem MLA was busy at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, on Sunday.
The protesters will now call on the Nuvem MLA on Monday evening, hoping that D’Sa will clarify certain things on the linear projects.
An Anti-coal protester from Loutolim Arvind Menezes later told the media that the delegation of people opposing the linear projects had come to question the MLA over his decision to abstain from voting on the floor of the House when the resolution against the linear projects had come up for discussion on the last day of the session.
“In the past, a people from Nuvem constituency had called on the MLA at his residence and proposed certain things. The MLA had then agreed to take up the matter in the Assembly. What we have come to know that the MLA did not take up the points which he had discussed with the people of Nuvem. Rather, no vote was given by the MLA on the resolution on the floor of the House”, he said, adding that the people had come to his residence to ask him his stand on the contentious projects.
“We came at 4 pm, but the MLA wasn’t there. We were told that he had to rush to the GMC as somebody was taken ill to the hospital. The people of Nuvem have patience, but we don’t have too much patience. We have been given an appointment on Monday around 4.30 pm to 5 pm. We will come to meet the MLA at 5 pm. We hope that the MLA sticks to his word,” Arvind said, adding that they expect D’Sa to give a positive reply to his constituents.
He said the people of Nuvem are trying to get the issues resolved peacefully without getting a mob to the residence of the MLA.
“Last time, a big crowd had come to meet the MLA. This time only a few people from the constituency came for an audience with the him. We don’t believe in mob mentality. We are only asking for a positive answer from D’Sa,” he added.
