The controversial carnival theme Save Coconut Tree, Save Goenkarponn might have been conspicuous by its absence at the Margao Carnival float parade, but the coconut tree, coconuts and the theme reverberated all along the parade route from the SGPDA ground to the Ravindra Bhavan route.
In fact, Independent MLA Vijai Sardesai’s float depicting the coconut tree and Goan lifestyle reflected at the Margao Carnival float parade on Sunday even as Carnival revelers displayed placards supporting the theme Save Coconut tree, Save Goenkarponn along the new parade route on Sunday.
While Vijai maintained that the Carnival theme has been well supported by the people of Salcete despite attempts to scuttle the same by the government machinery, he said the Save Coconut Tree yatra will now roll off from Fatorda across the State in the days to come.
However, except the Fatorda MLA and his Margao counterpart, Digambar Kamat, none of the remaining legislators from Salcete, including taluka’s lone Minister Avertano Furtado, who had always kept a date with the Margao Carnival float parade in the last three years, were present on the dais.
Digambar Kamat, who arrived at the parade directly from the airport after returning from Guwahati, said the huge turn out for the parade, is a clear signal that people of Margao, Fatorda in particular and Salcete in general have accepted the new parade route.
That the Fatorda MLA sought to use the parade platform to drive home the theme on Save Coconut Tree and save Goenkarponn became evident when his float depicting the coconut tree rolled down the parade route from the SGPDA ground, while people with placards on the theme stood out in the crowd along the parade route.
When the media pointed out that the Margao Carnival Committee runs the risk of denial of balance grant for the parade since the theme on coconut tree and Goenkarponn was prominently displayed along the route, he shot back “the government cannot buy Goenkarponn with money. People of Salcete today have told the government that the theme has been well accepted by them. Now after the Carnival float, the Coconut yatra will roll down from Fatorda across the State to bring awareness on the government decision on the coconut tree”.
