The November 1, 2020 Chandor midnight agitation.
MARGAO
The countdown has begun for the protest rally at the historic Lohia Maidan called by Goyant Kollso Naka on November 1 to send a message loud and clear to the government to stop converting Goa into a coal hub.
The meeting assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the fact that it will be five years on November 1 that thousands of Goans from across the state descended on the historic village of Chandor to protest against the track doubling project on the intervening night of November 1-2, 2020.
Since then, anti-coal activists have been fighting cases in the Margao courts instituted by the Goa police as well as by the Railway Protection Force for participating in the Chandor midnight agitation and the Velsao stir against double tracking.
Making a fervent plea to the people of Goa to attend the protest meeting at Lohia Maidan, Margao, on November 1 at 5 pm, Goyant Kollso Naka co-convenor Abhijit Prabhudesai said the time has come for every Goan to come out and lodge a strong protest against coal.
Prabhudesai, who is facing as many as three cases at the Margao Civil and Criminal Courts for the Chandor and Velsao agitation against coal and the track doubling project, said the government is going all out to make Goa a coal hub. “Since 2016, we have been fighting against projects linked to coal and coal transportation. What we have found out now is that the government is going all out in the last one year, which would make Goa a coal hub. The government has decided to increase the coal handling capacity of Jindal. Dredging is going on at the MPT port. The government is pushing for the new high-level Borim bridge, which is primarily proposed for coal transportation,” he said, while making a fervent plea to every Goemkar to attend the historic Lohia Maidan protest rally on November 1.
Social activist John Douglas Coutinho, who is one of the activists named in the historic Chandor midnight agitation, has given a call to the people of Goa to come out in large numbers at Lohia Maidan on November 1 to oppose moves to convert Goa into a coal hub.
Social groups and political parties have also joined hands in making an appeal to the people to attend the Lohia Maidan rally.
Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai has appealed to every Goemkar to join them for “Goyant Kollso Naka” on 1st November at 5 pm at Lohia Maidan, Margao. “This is not just a gathering, it’s a stand to protect Goa’s identity, land, and future. Let’s raise our voice together, because if we stay silent today, there will be no Goa to defend tomorrow,” he warned.
Incidentally, social activists from across Goa, including South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, one of the activists named in the Chandor midnight agitation case, had come together at the historic Lohia Maidan, Margao, a month ago to take the battle against coal forward.
In fact, the social activists had warned the government to either halt all coal-related activities or face the people’s fury in the future.
