the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting there will be no looking back on the proposal to install Jack Sequiera’s statue at the Ravindra Bhavan circle or naming the Fatorda road after former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai on Wednesday took on Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat, saying the council does not want to bring Moti Dongor in Fatorda, but has plans only to showcase Goemkarponn in the constituency.
He said the Arlem-Fatorda 4-lane road will be named after Manohar Parrikar in gratitude to the former CM for sanctioning funds of Rs 50-70 crore to execute the road.
“We will invite Parrikar’s family to inaugurate the road on his birthday on December 13,” he said, during an interaction with the media at the road inspection near Damodar temple on Wednesday.
Pointing out that the resolution adopted by the civic body conforms to legal specifications, Vijai said there will be no compromise on either installing Sequiera’s statue or naming the road after Parrikar.
“Those who are opposing Sequeira’s statue are also opposing the road naming. Madgavkars are watching as these people are also opposing the roads to be named after Padre Miranda, St Joaquim, Floriano Vaz and others,” he said.
When the media drew his attention to the opposition claim that the statue proposal is being opposed because of wrong procedure, the Fatorda MLA shot back, “Only clerks talks about procedure. If Digambar had noticed some errors in the procedure, post facto approval would have been a solution. In the past, Digambar had taken so many decisions post facto. I can show you the projects.”
Saying the council has been trying to bring together all people in Fatorda given its cosmopolitan nature, with people of different communities and cultures staying in the area, Sardesai said “we are not bringing Moti Dongor to Fatorda”.
Referring to Digambar’s statement that Congress would install Sequeira’s statue at the Assembly if returned to power, Vijai demanded to know why he did not install the statue when he was CM for 5 years.
When a scribe sought to know how he can implement the resolutions when GFP has only 11 councilors in the civic body, Vijai shot back “You want us to sit at home. Let me tell you, there is no opposition in MMC. It is simply a marriage of convenience between Congress and
BJP”.
