FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The hunger to protect Goa from illegal structures around protected heritage sites has taken a whole new narrative. In poll-bound Goa, the people's protest movement has systematically planned
date wise visits of protestors from different Assembly constituencies through December. In January, a month before the Assembly elections scheduled in January, the protests will be held in the constituencies themselves.
Starting Monday, the protest site will shift to St Cajetan church and from then on, people from all constituencies will be visiting them. “Throughout the month of December, we are inviting citizens, constituency-wise to join us for a day each in solidarity with the cause,” activist Aruna Wagh said.
In January 2022, the citizens will be taking the protests to various constituencies.
The citizens also said that those who are unable to travel to the protest site have decided to carry out a day-long fast at their homes to extend their solidarity with the protest.
The group of citizens, who were addressing the media on Saturday, sought to clear the air and emphasized that their protest is very much on and has not been withdrawn and that it won’t stop until the construction project is razed to the ground.
While Hugo Gonsalves of the Save Old Goa Action Committee (SOGAC) highlighted the efforts the citizens have been taking, Architect Tahir Noronha sought to give the right perspective on recent developments. (SEE BOX)
Other citizens who have been part of the protest also shared their views.
Iftiyaz Sayed from Margao pointed out that this is not an issue of any religion and that today it’s in Old Goa but tomorrow it can be anywhere.
Anthony D'Silva from Velim said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had promised to follow the law in the process of demolishing the illegal construction but asked that when the builders did not follow the law, why the government should now use the law as an excuse to delay demolition.
“When this issue was in the High Court, the State government declined to file an affidavit on the matter. We will be vigilant and expect answers,” he added.
Xencor Polgi from Vasco expressed his thanks that a non-political religious leader like the Archbishop of Goa had to reprimand the politicians. He said that the Bishop’s statement came with a lot of gravitas, as the Church rarely comments on such issues. However, at the same time, he expressed displeasure that this construction was not only blessed by politicians but also by many government officials in various departments. He warned that the future of Goa is at stake if Goemkars keep sanctioning illegal activities for money.
Wagh also thanked the citizens who showed solidarity to the Satyagrahis over the last 11 days and the MPs who raised the issue in the Parliament.
