MARGAO
South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha on Wednesday demanded that the new international airport at Mopa should be named after the Father of Opinion Poll Dr Jack de Sequeira.
While pointing to demands in certain quarters to name the Mopa airport after former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, Sardinha said that Parrikar went on to become the State’s Chief Minister just because Dr Sequeira had saved Goa from a merger into neighbouring Maharashtra.
Addressing the media, Sardinha reminded that it was Jack Sequeira who was responsible for retaining the distinct identity of Goa through the historic Opinion poll.
“Jack Sequeira has fought to retain Goa’s independent and separate identity. He has saved the people during the historic Opinion poll,” he said while making a fervent plea to the government to name the Mopa airport after Dr Sequeira.
“There is nothing named in the name of Dr Sequeira. I am of the strong opinion that the airport should be named after Dr Sequeira,” he added.
Referring to the government’s decision to postpone the annual DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas, the MP said though the government has cited reasons for the postponement, he demanded that the government should set the dates to host the festival.
On the controversial IIT project at Sanguem, Sardinha reiterated his opposition, when the educational institute provides no special reservation for the Goan youth.
“Instead of IIT, the government should set up ITIs in the State to equip the youth with technical education. IIT is not required in the State when it has scarce land resources and when the institute does not provide reservation of seats for the local youth,” he added.
Reiterating his objection to the jetty policy 2022, the MP said the government should see reason and take cognizance of the objections lodged by the village gram sabhas. He said the government should stop the plan to make Goa a coal hub.
