Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress demanded that the South Goa District Hospital at Margao be commissioned first before naming any road in the city after Manohar Parrikar and accused Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai of merely playing caste cards.
Briefing media persons, Pratima said promoting Pooja Naik as the next chairperson of Margao Municipal Council because she was a member of the “Bhandari Samaj” was merely playing the caste card and said if Vijai was so committed to uplifting that community and empowering women he should project the first lady chief minister of Goa Shashikala Kakodkar, who was also of the “Bhandari Samaj”.
“I dare Vijai to name the road proposed to be named after Manohar Parrikar after Shashikala Kakodkar,” said Pratima alleging that Vijai was merely trying to appease the Brahmin caste by using the name of Manohar Parrikar.
She said, “Manohar Parrikar was a vindictive person and held a grudge against Salcete for rejecting is ‘Mission Salcete’ because of which he kept all important projects in Salcete on hold.”
“The district hospital is not yet completed and the Kadamba Bus Stand continues to be an eyesore,” she said.
Pointing out that the people of Panjim rejected the candidate offered by Parrikar’s party, she said, “Goans are happy to be freed of Parrikar’s arrogant and dictatorial regime.”
“Parrikar had lost all morality when he continued to stick to the chief minister’s chair despite being sick,” she added.
Opening that it was time Vijai got away from the “Parrikar bhakti”, she said that cremating Parrikar next to the Samadhi of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar was a conspiracy to belittle the Bhandari leader.
However, Vijai said that naming the road after Parrikar was merely to express gratitude to the man who released huge funds despite the State going through severe resource crunch.
“Shashikala had nothing to do with the road and Pratima should realise that this has nothing to do with women but only thanking a person who made the road happen,” Vijai said.
Meanwhile, Reshma Sayyed, President of Fatorda Mahila Block Congress committee said they objected to road naming ceremony.
“First commission the District Hospital and then have the road naming ceremony,” she said.
