MARGAO
Goa Forward Party Chief Vijai Sardesai’s Janta Darbar scheduled at the Margao Municipal Council hall on July 4 hangs in balance as the Congress-turned-BJP MLA Digambar Kamat-controlled municipality is dillydallying in granting permission for the meeting.
A confrontation seems inevitable on Thursday as the Goa Forward Chief insists on holding the darbar at the municipality hall as per the schedule. Margao Municipal Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar, however, told The Goan that his office had not taken any decision on the application received from the Fatorda MLA to hold the meeting with citizens.
“I have neither rejected nor accepted the application seeking permission to use the municipal hall for the public interaction. I will decide on Tuesday,” the Chief Officer said.
Sardesai, on the other hand, said, “Let me make very clear that the Margao Municipality is not the private property of any MLA. I am also an associated member of the Margao Municipal Council and I have the right to hold the darbar there.”
The Fatorda MLA said the darbar was being held to seek inputs from the public ahead of the forthcoming Assembly session to raise issues affecting the citizens on the floor of the House. “The darbar is not a political meeting, but just an interaction with the citizens of Margao before the Assembly session,” Sardesai said, adding that he would go ahead with the darbar come what may.
Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar, when contacted, pointed out that he had seen the letter from the Fatorda MLA asking permission to use the municipal hall for the darbar.
“I had signed the application and forwarded it to the Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar. I do not know what decision has been taken by the Chief Officer. I have been only told by the municipal officials that the hall had never been leased out to hold such darbars in the past,” Damu said.
The Goa Forward Party had applied to book the municipal hall on Friday seeking permission to hold the darbar on June 4. “We were expecting the Margao municipal officials to take a call on Monday. We are suspecting something hanky panky”, Sardesai said.
