Captured by : St Andre MLA Francis Silveira watches in despair as the crowd refuses to listen. Pic: Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA: People from different villages in St Andre constituency shouted slogans against the PDA and refused to allow officials to speak, as a meeting convened by St Andre MLA Francisco Silveira to discuss the inclusion of villages of his constituency in the GPPDA ended without any discussion on Wednesday.
The public was later informed that a mega meeting of all Tiswadi villages would be held in Panaji on April 7, to voice their opposition to the inclusion in GPPDA.
The public meeting convened by Silveira at the Batim panchayat hall was forced to be called off without allowing the NGPDA officials to speak on inclusion of villages of the constituency in the GPPDA, as people were firm in their opposition to the decision which was arbitrarily taken without consulting them.
The MLA had organized the meeting to enable NGPDA member secretary R K Pandita and other officials allay public fears regarding the inclusion of St Andre villages in GPPDA.
“The meeting has been convened so that the PDA officials can explain to the people about it. Let them speak first and then the people can ask questions,” pleaded Silveira.
However, hundreds of people gathered shouted slogans against the MLA as well as against the PDA and refused to allow the MLA to issue any clarification in the matter.
Stating that the meeting should have been convened before imposing PDA on the people, some people felt it was too late to have any discussion on the matter.
The public was also miffed as they were not allowed to speak on the microphone.
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Curca sarpanch 'resigns'
as GPPDA member,
MLA agrees to do so
OLD GOA: Amidst noisy protests by people from St Andre constituency opposed to the PDA, Curca sarpanch Maria da Cunha walked on the stage and flashed her resignation letter from the GPPDA and asked St Andre MLA Francis Silveira to follow suit if he was really with the people. Left with no choice, Silveira assured the gathering that he would resign as member of the GPPDA and that he would, henceforth, remain with the people in opposing the PDA.
“Now, we have to fight together to denotify PDA. I request all panchayats of my constituency to send resolutions demanding denotification of PDA and I will send the same to the TCP minister,” he stated.
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Respect public wishes,
will attend agitations,
says Francisco Silveira
OLD GOA: At the receiving end of the public meeting on the PDA issue, St Andre MLA Francis Silveira said he respects public wishes and that he would remain with the people in demanding denotification of villages of his constituency from the GPPDA. “If the people do not want the PDA, I will support their demand,” Silveira informed The Goan, while adding that the meeting was convened as he had promised people of Azossim that he would invite officials from PDA to explain to them about the issue.
“I created awareness in all 10 churches about the meeting through announcements. I also sent invitation to all seven panchayats in my constituency and also invited all priests for the meeting and urged everybody to listen to what the officials have to say.”
“But if the people don’t want to listen to them, there is nothing I can do. henceforth, I will stay with the people and attend any agitation,” he stated.
Asked if would be difficult to demand the denotification of the PDA, since it has already been notified, Silveira replied: “If the public stays united and puts pressure on the government, then nothing is impossible.”
