Police block entry; activists hold presentation outside garden
Show down at the Margao municipal garden on Sunday after the Margao police stopped the assembly of citizens for a presentation on the garden beautification plan.
MARGAO
The Margao police on Sunday evening scuttled the gathering of citizens for a presentation on the proposal to beautify the garden, including the controversial structure planned inside the Agha Khan park.
Undeterred by the police action of not allowing the citizens to enter the garden premises, the citizens went ahead with their programme in the Municipal garden passage, demanding transparency in the works.
Before convenor of Shadow Council of Margao Savio Coutinho and other citizens could enter the Municipal garden on Sunday evening, Margao PI Arun Desai along with a strong posse of policemen was already present at the entrance to the garden. They informed Coutinho that they cannot hold the programme inside the garden in view of a letter received from Margao Municipal Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar to prevent and disperse any unauthorised assembly in the garden premises.
Coutinho and the activist were later joined by Congress leader Chirag Naik and Prabhav Naik, besides former MMC chairperson Babita Angle and activists from Margao and outside. Incidentally, the Margao police had tried to scuttle the hunger strike staged by Chirag Naik inside the Municipal garden over plans to build a “two-storeyed” structure inside the iconic municipal garden.
Heated discussions erupted upon the denial between the police and the gathering which included ex-chairperson Babita Angle, Prabhav Naik, Chirag Naik, Vishal Kakode, ex-councillor Sangeeta Audi, Pradip Naik, Lincoln Gomes, Damodar Onskar, Camilo Camara and several others.
After nearly two hours of arguments, which also led to the summoning of the magistrates Sidhi Pai Angle and Abhishek Naik to tackle the situation, the public viewing of the plans was finally permitted in the passage between the two garden sections.
Displaying the beautification plans enlarged and printed on flex, Coutinho stated that the reconstruction of the existing structure in the Agha Khan park no doubt in an open ground floor area, but the upper floor shows a cafeteria with kitchen, store room toilets and sitting area much to the contradiction of the claims of the MMC Chairperson Damodar Shirodkar that no cafeteria was planned.
Prabhav Naik, Chirag Naik, Dr Babita Angle, Vishal Kakode and Pradip Naik also spoke and criticised the Margao Municipal Council for indulging in all types of fraudulent activities.
