the goan I network
MARGAO
Facing the heat over the government decision to form the Greater Panjim PDA, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai on Thursday said he is willing to engage with people to resolve the issue, but hastened to add that he does not know with whom he should have a dialogue when he has received no representation or memorandum from the agitating people till date.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a function at Chandrawado in Fatorda constituency on Thursday, the TCP Minister said not a single person has come to him till date with any representation to scrap the Greater Panjim PDA. “Both the MLAs had supported the idea of forming the Greater Panjim PDA. The village sarpanchas, who are today withdrawing from the decision to form the PDA, had also given letters in support of the PDA,” he said.
The TCP Minister wondered that if people are opposed to the PDA, why has any representation from the agitating public not come to him till date. “I am ready to engage with anyone, but the question is with whom. Should I not engage with the elected representatives or should I engage directly with the people and who are the people whom I should hold a dialogue,” he said, while reminding that he too had come up in public life from a movement and has not been made an MLA or a Minister from Delhi.
Saying that he is not handing out any assurance to the agitating public on their demand for the scraping of the Greater Panjim PDA, the TCP Minister only said “let us look at the merits before taking any decision”.
Demanding to know whether there’s democracy or mobocracy prevailing in Goa, with the people not submitting even a bare minimum memorandum opposing the PDA, the TCP Minister said the Aam Admi mentality of paralysing everything will not help anyone. “Come forward and speak to us. Just because of you are in the opposition, you have no right to resort to anarchy. We may differ on many things, but at least can agree on certain issues,” he added.
Earlier, the TCP Minister inaugurated the multipurpose hall at Chandrawado, above Phoenix gymnasium in the presence of ward councillor Terrance Barbosa, Usha Sardesai and others, wherein he expressed satisfaction that Muslim women are coming forward to play their due role in society.
