The State government’s machinery is on its toes and gasping to ensure its “all clear” from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s security team for his visit to the State on December 11. The police, the bureaucracy, the defence units stationed here and sundry are doing the rounds and keeping a watch on the route Modi is expected to take during his stay in the State on Sunday.
Meanwhile, its the capital city’s civic body -- The Corporation of the City of Panaji -- that is in the eye of a storm. Residents of the capital city are puzzled with CCP mayor Rohit Monserrate announcing decisions to cancel the traditional fair of the Panjim Church feast citing the PM’s visit.
The criticism got to the flamboyant mayor. The next day he lamented that people were playing politics and criticising him unnecessarily over the decision. He sought to clarify that the Panjim feast fair had not been cancelled but deferred until Monday next. He was also at pains to clarify that the traditional sweet meat and ‘channa stalls’ will be permitted as usual and that only the fair that was relocated to Campal will be deferred by a few days.
On an another level, it is ironic that in Goa people are being shooed away from his route while less than a week ago, the establishment was doing all it could to have people flock to Modi-ji’s roadshows and other events in Gujarat.
