the goan I network
MARGAO
Even as CM Pramod Sawant has been addressing public meetings to drum up support for his party in the Zilla elections, locals have called for the postponement of the election due to the threat of the deadly coronavirus.
“Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane are busy addressing mass zilla panchayat meetings. Zilla elections should be postponed as a precautionary measure,” said Suraj Mantravadi, a businessman who resides in the suburbs of Mapusa.
Politicians of all hue have been moving around with large group of supporters busy campaigning for the ZP elections.
The elections to all the 50 ZP constituencies in the State are scheduled to be held on March 22 (Sunday).
“While it is good to be ‘susegad’ (relaxed) when things are fine, but now in times of a crisis, we should leave this attitude and be alert. When the whole of India is taking precautions we are still celebrating mass gathering and festivals like Shigmotsavs,” said Prashant Walke, a businessman from Mapusa.
“If the government was concerned, ideally it should have cancelled even the ZP elections where a lot of people meet during campaigning,” he added.
He further said that Goa should take lessons from Italy where the deadly virus has wreaked havoc killing thousands.
“Italians are just like Goans. They want to enjoy every time and are always in a celebration mood like us. People kept on passing Coronavirus to each other without being aware of it at all the public places. As a result, 350 deaths occurred in one day! Do we want a similar situation in Goa? At least now let’s be alert and stop all public mass gatherings,” Walke opined.
Opposition parties were quick to criticize the CM for holding public meetings but leaders of the main opposition party of Congress moved around with large group of supporters on the campaign trail. Aam Aadmi Party was the only party that slammed the State Election Commission for remaining a mere spectator to the real threat of Covid-19.
AAP said the SEC should take the responsibility of getting the voters out to vote in the ZP polls.
