CURCHOREM
OPA convened a public meeting at Betul to mobilise people and to garner more support to its anti-DefExpo movement. About 500 people from Betul, Canaguinim, Khola, Velim, Naqueri and other places were present at the meeting.
Women along with local people were seen holding black flags to show their opposition to the event. Black flags and hoardings carrying slogans against DefExpo were erected at Quittol plateau.
The hoardings carried slogans like ‘War corporations get off my land’, ‘Quittol land for peace and children’, ‘War Merchants not welcome’, ‘No to Arms Race, No to DefExpo and the mantra of this protest’, ‘Maka Naka Tuka Naka DefExpo Nakach Naka’.
Speaking at the public meeting, OPA President Pressy Fernandes said they have been following the Gandhian way of protest and their agitation will be peaceful. She urged the locals to stay united and support their agitation against DefExpo.
OPA spokesperson Freddy Fernandes stated that they will expose the dictatorial attitude of the BJP government before the international media.
“We will protest peacefully against DefExpo. Black flags will be shown to the delegates from foreign countries. We won’t act violent, but we will make sure that international media comes across our protest against DefExpo and we will expose the dictatorial and undemocratic attitude of the State BJP government,” he stated. A local from Betul, Damasco D’Silva, criticised Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. “Parrikar has lied to the people that DefExpo was brought by the Congress government, but as per RTI information obtained by us the DefExpo was brought by the BJP State government.”
Dr Francis Colaco said: “DefExpo project is being organised despite opposition to satisfy one person’s pride and to bulldoze other people’s will. The Raksha Mantri is working like a broker who is trying to sell off Goa.”
Betul Panch Marcus Simoes said it is duty of any organisation or an individual to take permission and NOC from local body to undertake any infrastructure development, which has not been the case with DefExpo. “The local panchayat and the people have been neglected,” he added. Fr Savio Fernandes said: “The government is calling us anti-national, as we are protesting against DefExpo. Recently in JNU institute, students were tagged as anti-nationals. This is sad. We will show our opposition to the countries during DefExpo.”
Fr Eremito Rebello came down heavily on the failures of the State government for not fulfilling the promises given to locals and opined that the administration was very good at taking U-turns. “The BJP government has forgotten us after the 2012 assembly elections. We should not allow DefExpo at Betul,” he added and urged the locals not to vote for BJP in the next assembly elections.
Charles D’Silva urged locals to sit on a hunger strike for four days during DefExpo. “Why the MLAs, who were supporting our agitation, have disappeared?” he asked.
