VASCO
In a dramatic turn of events, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar on Thursday evening presided over the inauguration of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Sada Junction, even as the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) has moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa challenging development on the land.
Hundreds of Shiv Premis gathered at the site and the traditional Shivaji aarti was performed before the statue.
Amonkar said the moment marked the culmination of years of aspiration and effort by devoted followers.
Referring to the dispute with the MPA, Amonkar said he had made several correspondences with the authority over the years seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for installation of the statue on the land, which he described as unused.
“For several years, I nurtured a desire to see a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Mormugao constituency,” he said.
The MLA claimed the plot, measuring around 100 square metres, had long remained neglected. “This land was lying unused and had turned into a dumping spot. It was an eyesore. Despite repeated letters seeking an NOC, there was no response from the MPA. I wrote several letters to the MPA asking them for the NOC but they did not reply for the last two years. Even Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had written to them asking for NOC to install the statue of our national hero, yet there was no reply,” he stated.
“Finally, the Shiv Premis resolved that if permission was not forthcoming for installing the statue of our national hero on unused land, they would take the responsibility themselves. Today, they have demonstrated their resolve,” Amonkar declared.
