13 Jan 2021  |   05:41am IST

GFP holds candlelight rally in Mapusa

Dares Health Minister Rane to resign if the CM doesn’t take cogisance of his demands and scrap the IIT project within five days

Team Herald  

 

MAPUSA: Goa Forward Party held a peaceful candle light procession in Mapusa on Tuesday in support of the protests being carried out by the Shel Melauli locals against the proposed IIT project on Tuesday.

Stating that Health Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajit Rane should resign and stand with the people of Shel Melauli, if the Chief Minister does not take cognizance of Rane’s letter and scrap the project, Kiran Kandolkar, the GFP Acting President dared Rane to take action instead of only giving verbal talks. 

 "After the Zilla Panchayat election result, the Pramod Sawant government became over confident and started with their dictatorship where govt officers are being transferred and dominated. Goa is burning and if the Melauli project is not scrapped, then people all over Goa will walk towards Melauli”, Kandolkar added.

GFP Vice-President Durgadas Kamat said, “Rane said he is disheartened that he was not taken into confidence with regard to the police action. The Chief Minister had given directions for demarcation while bulldozing the people.  Nothing is going to happen by writing letters. But if he is actually with the people, then he should resign from the Cabinet and stand with the people if the CM fails to scrap the project in the next five days”, said Kamat.

 Siolim GFP MLA Vinod Palyekar condemned what he said was the behavior of a dictatorial government.

Suggesting that the government shift the IIT project to Pernem, former ZP Deepak Kalangutkar said, “There are lakhs of sq mts of government land that has been acquired in Pernem for the proposed ‘Sports City’ but till date there is no sign of the same. If it’s not coming up in Pernem, then the government can shift the IIT project on this acquired land,” he added. 

Saligao GFP MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar added, “The government has put restrictions and (criminal) sections against the people who tried to support the people of Melauli. The government should not force the decision on the people and take back these steps.”

He further stated that the people of Goa should unite and fight back not only on the IIT issue, but every issue that will destroy the State