MARGAO: As a prelude to the ‘Maad Yatra in Pernem, 12 Goan artists gathered at BPS Club Margao to express through paintings their love for the coconut tree, environment, animals and bountiful nature of Goa.
The artists included Ryan Abreu, Vitesh Naik, Rajesh Salgaonkar, Manjunath Naik, Neata Pinto, Viraj Naik, Vijay Bhandare, Karishma D’Souza, Kausalya Gadekar and Vatsala Kamat. Their work has generated a lot of buzz in Margao and many people, including environmentalists, have stated that the artists would be joining the Pernem rally to protest the reclassification of the coconut tree.
Photographers, poets and other artists will also join the rally to be held in the constituencies of Forest Minister Rajendra Arlekar and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar.
The rally will start on February 21, will cover Pernem and Mandrem, and will culminate with a meeting near the Bhagwati Temple in Pernem.
“The government needs to introspect on how it will attack thousands of self-respecting Goenkars who in their own way are protesting in their villages (by having Chipko movements) or on social media the government’s absurd and irrational move to declassify the coconut tree. Will the government call them anti-national and once again be ridiculed in international media as the government has been on the vermin issue, and after which it have made a predictable U-turn?” said Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
