Team Herald
PANJIM: Even as the government claims that children of freedom fighters have called off their hunger strike, situation at the protest venue at Azad Maidan remained unchanged as the strike continued even on the Republic Day.
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The Department of Information and Publicity, on Monday night — the eve of Republic Day, released a press statement with a headline “Wards of FF (Freedom Fighters) Call Off Hunger Strike”. However, on the following day, the children of freedom fighters continued fast-unto-death with Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and MGP leader Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar paying them a visit in support of their demand.
The press released stated, “The North Goa Collector R Menka met the delegation of Children of Freedom Fighters Association at Collectorate in the city today (Monday). The delegation agreed to call off the hunger strike.”
While the contents of the press release claimed the delegation “agreed to call off the strike”, contrary to its headline; no such decision has so far been taken.
“If we cannot give them (children of freedom fighters) the privilege at least their issues should be sorted. They are on hunger strike for five days and not one minister has visited them so far. The Chief Minister will be solely responsible if health of any striking individual deteriorates. He (CM) will not be forgiven by anyone… If he has enough nerves, he should come here, understand the matter and take eight days to settle the issues once for all,” Khaunte told reporters from the protest site.
Dhavalikar too met the aggrieved group and has extended full support in fulfilling their demands. He promised to give priority to them freedom fighters and their children if the MGP government comes to power in the 2022 General Assembly elections.
Earlier on Monday, the Children of Freedom Fighters Association submitted a memorandum comprising 18 points regarding the long pending demand of providing them government jobs.
As per the government press release, the Collector conveyed the concern of the government in meeting their grievances and stated it has already agreed to provide jobs to 23 eligible children of Freedom Fighters after one and half months. Secondly, the Collector requested to provide the names of 26 children, who are left out to get registered with the government to be included in the list of names of 250 children.
“The Collector also apprised them of absorbing some candidates through Goa Human Resource Development Corporation and rest of them would be absorbed in government jobs as and when vacancies are available. On the problem of some candidates who have crossed the age limit, the Collector assured to find out solution as to how the government could consider the criteria of age factor, eligibility plus availability of vacancies etc,” it said.
