MARGAO, JAN 19
Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Pratapsing Rane has urged Goans to maintain communal amity and religious unity amongst all sections of the society for the peace and progress of the State.
Speaking after unveiling the bust of freedom fighter, late Shabu Dessai at Cuncolim on Wednesday to mark Desai’s leading role in the historic Opinion Poll, Rane said the time has come for all Goans to carry forward the “Jothi” lit by late Shabu Desai during the opinion poll movement to make Goa and India strong and prosperous.
Saying that certain elements are trying to disturb the age old communal amity amongst the religious communities, the Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker recalled that even the Opinion Poll was conducted without any violence, showing that people of Goa have always believed in peace and harmony.
Complimenting the citizens of Cuncolim for honouring a great leader like Shabu for his role in the Opinion Poll, Rane said that Shabu had played a significant role in the movement which later helped the state to maintain its separate identity.
In his address, Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik said that Shabu had indeed played a significant role in taking out the Jothi to mobilise opinion against the merger of Goa into Maharashtra.
He said that Cuncolim is a small village or town, it has produced personalities in various fields, including two High Court judges, two MPs, advocate general etc.
The MP said those leaders who had been fighting for the merger of Goa into Maharashtra should publicly admit that Goa would have been left backward and neglected if the State was merged into the neighbouring State.
In his address, Cuncolim MLA and Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao said that Shabu’s role in the Opinion Poll movement cannot be forgotten for his decision to take the Jothi across and length and breadth of the state. He thanked the Shabu B Dessai Memorial Committee for remembering the freedom fighter for his contributions during the Opinion Poll.
Committee treasurer, Moti Desai recalled that the holy Jothi taken out by Shabu in the name of Shree Shantadurga Kunkallikarin to oppose the merger of Goa into Maharashtra created a favourable atmosphere in both North and South Goa, where Hindus were in favour of merger because of their affiliations with the MGP, then propagating Goa’s merger into Maharashtra during the Opinion Poll.
