MARGAO: The largely attended rally of Goans for Dabolim Only at Lohia Maidan must have come as a morale booster for the anti-Mopa movement and a wake up call for the political class, including the ruling BJP and the Congress.
An elated convenor of Goans for Dabolim Only Fr Eremito Rebello said the movement will be pursued with added vigour, now with the people rallying behind the anti-Mopa movement, the core committee is meeting later this week to chalk out the next course of action.
That the organisation managed to mobilise support for the rally should hopefully come as a welcome sign for the Goans for Dabolim Only leadership, as it braces up to launch the second phase of the movement beyond river Zuari. “We were very much delighted with the turn out of the huge crowd. The people have expressed their solidarity with the movement and their opposition to Mopa. Our movement will not stop here. It will take off with renewed vigour”, he said.
Fr Eremito did not agree with reports in certain quarters that the Lohia Maidan meeting did not spare the Congress leaders, while leaving the chief minister, Manohar Parrikar scot free.
“Was the Chief Minister not targeted when Agnelo Rodrigues said it is a lie that late Matanhy had supported Mopa. Did Sandeep Kambli not target the chief minister for rushing with the land acquisition process? And, did I not reject the offer made by BJP spokesman Damu Naik for discussion the issue across the table? And, did it not expose the lies of the chief minister on Mopa and its co-existence with Dabolim during our meetings across the villages?” Fr Eremito questioned.
Secondly, when his attention was drawn to eye brows being raised in political circles that no forceful message or deadline has gone to the ruling ministers and MLAs to stop the chief minister from pursuing Mopa, Fr Eremito said “the Goans for Dabolim Only is moving ahead with the movement step by step. Our core committee is meeting shortly to take stock of the situation post-Lohia Maidan meeting and to chalk out the future course of action.”
That as many as six Legislators, including two ministers in the Parrikar dispensation, made their presence felt at the Lohia Maidan rally to express their solidarity with the movement, is an indication that the political class cannot afford to ignore the movement building up right in their backyard.
