MARGAO
Taking in his stride the wave of resentment against his move to share power with the BJP, Salcete’s lone minister in the Manohar Parrikar cabinet, Vijai Sardesai kicked off his “Janata Darbar” at the South district Collectorate on Thursday “ his first public interaction with the people of Fatorda and Salcete at large after his infamous decision to support the Parrikar-led BJP government evoked shock and outrage within and outside the constituency.
Aware that his decision to resurrect the BJP despite the voters mandate has not gone down with his constituents and others, Sardesai remarked: “Slowly, steadily and surely, acceptance will come from the people that this stable and Goemkarwadi government will give justice to the people.”
The turnout for the Darbar evoked a good response as evident by the fact that the interaction had to be shifted from minister’s chamber to the adjoining hall on the fourth floor of the district Collectorate to accommodate the people and the officials.
Amongst those who called on the TCP minister were members of the clergy and nuns, who met Sardesai with grievances pertaining to education, besides his group of Margao Municipal Council councillors led by Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai and close supporters. In fact, a Parish Priest from South Goa submitted a plan to the minister seeking permission to start an educational institute in his Parish.
“My experience with the people was that the interaction drew citizens from cross section of the society, who came forward with the hope that the government will deliver. It is slowly getting into the minds of the people that this government works for their welfare. People came for the darbar not just from Fatorda, but from a cross section of society,” he said, while hastened to add that the government machinery has to be oiled to meet people’s aspirations.
“People came for the darbar with grievances ranging from Portuguese passport to basic issues such as birth and death certificates, water related problems,” the TCP minister said, while saying that he would remain accessible to the cross section of the people from Fatorda and outside in resolving their grievances.
Sardesai also disclosed plans to get down at the ward level by reviving the Sunday Dialogue with the people, beginning from Siolim, from April 2.
