PANAJI
A protest by vendors at the renovated Dona Paula jetty against a gate installed recently by the tourism department to charge an 'entry fee' evoked some politics and drama on Friday afternoon.
Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate descended there around the same time Congress leaders including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa, Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares-Ferreira, GPCC president Amit Patkar and some others reached there.
A fracas ensued among the motley crowd of politicos near the contentious gate installed by the tourism department where Monserrate tersely told the Congress politicians to leave and not to interfere with matters of his constituency. "These residents of this place are my voters for the last 20 years... Don't come do such politics in our constituencies," Monserrate told the Congress politicians.
After the renovation a few months ago, the tourism department has gated the road leading to the jetty and tourists are charged an 'entry fee' -- Rs 25 for kids and Rs 50 for adults. The protesting vendors are demanding that the gate be removed and the decision to charge entry fee be rescinded as footfalls there have drastically dropped, affecting their business and livelihoods.
The Congress leaders reached the jetty in the afternoon and began interacting with the locals who were agitating. Within a short while, Monserrate reached the site and confronted them, saying he is capable of sorting out the issues of his constituencies while advising the Congress leaders to not play politics.
The Congress leaders were initially taken aback by Monserrate's aggressive gestures but Alemao gathered his wits to say that it is their duty to respond when citizens ask for help even as he urged the minister to give an assurance that the issue will be resolved.
Monserrate retorted: "I won't promise anyone that you are here. My voters trust me; you don't come here and give me advice."
The minister also told the Congress leaders to go to their own constituencies and resolve grievances there even as he clarified that the contentious gate cannot be removed as per the contract framed by the tourism department.
Cong alleges jetty may be leased for events
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Amit Patkar has alleged that he has information to the effect that the government is planning to lease out the Dona Paula Jetty for weddings and other private events. "This is why the gate has been installed here. We are gathering more information on this plan of the government," Patkar said.
