the goan I network
MARGAO
The commemorative portraits of the stalwarts of the historic Opinion Poll movement have finally shifted from the Opinion Poll Square on Friday, close to five months since they were installed on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the historic day.
While TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, the architect behind the Opinion Poll Square, said the portraits have been removed with monsoons hitting the State, sources said the commemorative portraits may not come back at the Opinion Poll Square in the future.
The TCP Minister said the portraits of the Opinion Poll stalwarts have been shifted to the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao because of the rains. He, however, hastened to disclose plans to build a memorial at Fatorda which will not only accommodate the stalwarts honoured at the Opinion Poll Square, but many more who could not be honoured on the occasion of the golden jubilee year of Opinion Poll. “Once the Opinion Poll memorial takes shape in Fatorda, the names and photos of the Opinion Poll stalwarts will find a mention on the memorial. The Opinion Poll memorial is on my top agenda,” he added.
While the Opinion Poll Square was conceptualised to honour the leading lights of the historic movement, it came with a price on the maintenance front as the authorities had to deploy police personnel to man the portraits, but was found struggling to keep the stray dogs at bay and to maintain cleanliness of the square. In fact, stray dogs had literally made the Opinion Poll square their second home, drawing flak from the citizens and questioning the government’s move to deploy police personnel to man the portraits when policemen had been found wanting in bandobast duties elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Sidhanath Buyao earlier in the day had issued a statement demanding shifting of the memorial plaques from the Opinion Poll Square to Ravindra Bhavan or the district Collectorate complex.
Buyao had demanded the shifting not because the monsoon had set in the State, but because of the fact that no police will be required to man the portraits.
