BJP MLAs for installation of
statue, but party ain't: Lobo
Will find an amicable solution to the issue: Calangute MLA
PANAJI: Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has ‘vowed’ to ensure that a larger than life-sized statue of Dr Jack de Sequeira “sees the light of day” within the Goa Legislative Assembly Complex saying that a “majority” of current BJP MLAs support the idea of the statue but aren’t speaking out because the party does not support the idea.
“BJP MLAs are… most of them they want (the statue to be installed). Now since the party does not want it they are keeping quiet. BJP MLAs most of them want it, the party is not ready to back the resolution on the installation of Jack de Sequeira on the statue and they are towing the party line,” Lobo said while speaking to The Goan.
“Today, who can say that Goa should have merged with Maharashtra? If a person loves Maharashtra, delete his name from voters list and send him there to realise the difference between Maharashtra and Goa. There is no freedom over there. You can’t do things that you can do in Goa,” Lobo said.
BJP currently has fourteen legislators, including Vishwajit Rane of which crucially seven of them are Catholic. This means that, if they really wanted these ‘minority’ MLAs who will no doubt identify with the cause that Dr Jack de Sequeira stood for, they could have, by virtue of their numbers pressured the BJP into the demand. It must be pointed out, that legislators across community and religious lines have sought that Dr Jack de Sequeira be installed at the assembly.
The demand to have the statue in the Assembly is not a Catholic community demand alone and is not an issue that is being fought on communal lines.
Lobo was keen to point out that both Vijai Sardesai and he will try and convince the chief minister and other ministers and MLAs to support their demand.
“We will talk to the CM personally. Vijai (Sardesai) will talk to him personally. Goa Forward is a coalition partner. If there are any issues, I and Vijai will talk to him personally,” Lobo said, adding that they will find an amicable solution to the issue.
“He (Dr Jack de Sequeira) kept Goa for Goans so why should he not be honoured for keeping Goa for Goans? According to me, it (the resolution) will go in our favour. Because of the opinion poll, we are in the assembly today,” Lobo said.
“This resolution will be passed unanimously by all the members of the House. For that whatever needs to be done will be done,” Lobo said.
Besides Lobo moving a private members resolution seeking the installation of the statue, lone NCP MLA Churchill Alemão has also moved a similar resolution while the Congress Legislature Party too has vowed to move a similar resolution.
The BJP party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party are publicly opposed to the resolution as well as to the installation of the statue but without having articulated their reasons.
Opened with a bang on January 16;
Opinion Poll Square goes to 'dogs'
The site is craving for attention on the maintenance front
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO: “What a disgrace”, cried out Saturnino Rodrigues, a social activist from Seraulim as he, wife and son saw with horror a stray dog making a mess of one of the portraits of the legends installed at the Opinion Poll square.
It was late Saturday night when Saturnino with wife and son travelling along the Bishop Rebello road between old market circle to the Ravindra bhavan junction when he saw the newly-inaugurated Opinion Poll square invaded by stray dogs. “The stray dogs were all around the square, a couple of them sitting right on the benches and the wall playing host to the commemorative portraits. “Suddenly, we found a stray dirtying one of the portraits. I am also ashamed to see the amount of bird droppings on these heroes of Goa. My little son Johan commented that these personalities should have been installed in the Hall of Fame,” Saturnino said.
Indeed, the commemorative Opinion Poll Square, which was inaugurated with much fanfare on the 51st anniversary of Opinion Poll Day on January 16, is craving for attention on the maintenance front. While the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, the architect of the Opinion Poll Square, has roped in the Fatorda police protect the commemorative portraits from miscreants, and has disclosed plans to get a sweeping machine to keep the Square clean, the presence of stray dogs, who have made the square the second home, may give the powers that be sleepless nights.
The police, who have been given a clear brief by the superiors to protect the commemorative portraits, were caught napping when the square and the benches came in hand for vagabonds to take an afternoon siesta. The police manning the square also came under the public square when two reserve police personnel, drafted for patrolling of the square and the adjoining SGPDA market, were allegedly found under the influence of liquor and are presently facing a departmental inquiry.
To ensure that the square is swept and maintained clean round the clock, the TCP Minister has proposed acquisition of a sweeping machine. He has also suggested roping in a private agency to take care of the overall maintenance of the Opinion Poll square.
Developed on the lines of Campal in the Capital city, the Opinion Poll square plays host to around 38 legendary stalwarts of the Opinion Poll movement, including Jack Sequeira, Purshottam Kakodkar, Shabu Desai and others. Given that many a name, who participated in the Opinion poll movement in 1967 has not found mention in the commemorative square, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and the TCP Minister has promised to do justice to all the stalwarts of the historic movement.
