PANJIM: The 14th day of the satyagraha movement by the Drishti Lifeguards Union brought family members from across Goa to Panjim as the government has still not given in to their demands.
The union shifted their satyagraha to Azad Maidan as Section 144 was imposed due to the winter session of the Assembly.
Rajni Pagi, a relative of a union member said, “We family members have now come to fight for our children. All of us are depended on their salary and now we are helpless. We need their rights to be heard and answered.”
The day also saw a meeting of several tourism stakeholders at the Azad Maidan. All Goa Shack Owners Association, North Goa Tourists Taxi Owners Association were some of the stakeholders that attended the meeting, demanding that the government honour and implement the written agreement signed by Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar and Labour Minister Avertano Furtado, along with the Tourism and Labour department heads on November 21, 2014.
AITUC stated that the meeting concluded with a decision to make the issue more prominent in the State and hold a protest, so that the government takes a decision. GTCWU president Christopher Fonseca said, “There is a blame game being played between the chief minister, tourism minister and the labour commissioner. The entire administration is in collusion and wants to derail the issue of the lifeguards. However, this issue has reached a tipping mode and we will continue to fight.”
He stated that the union had a meeting with Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Sunday and he has said he will discuss the issue with the tourism minister.
Fonseca also alleged that Drishti Pvt Ltd addressed union members to leave the satyagraha movement and join the company or else their names will be removed from the company’s muster roll and their employment terminated.
