TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: INDIA alliance South Goa candidate Captain Viriato Fernandes of the Congress stated that true fighters don't run away like cowards and in no uncertain terms and told Margao MLA Digambar Kamat that "he should feel ashamed to call himself a fighter".
He was reacting to the statement made by political turncoat Kamat claiming to be a fighter and achiever.
"If he means what he says, why could he not manage to get Congress candidates elected in Navelim, Curtorim, Benaulim which are around Margao in 2022," questioned Capt Viriato.
He further said that Kamat was leading the Congress Election Campaign in 2022 and had taken an oath in front of God to remain loyal to Congress and finally betrayed God and ran away.
"Kamat had to amend the Municipal Act to ensure victory of his "Yes Sir" Councillor Damodar Shirodkar who had to face humiliating defeat during the first attempt. I don't think even my contender BJP candidate will trust the betrayer of Goa who took oath at the Temple, Holy Cross and Dargah and defected to BJP for selfish gains," said Capt Viriato.
He expressed confidence that voters of Margao will vote in favour of Congress. "Citizens of Margao are God fearing and they will not change colours how the habitual defector has done in the past," said Capt Viriato and added that Kamat took citizens for granted for his selfish gains and is responsible for the deterioration of Margao.
Cong says Constitution has to be protected
QUEPEM: INDIA alliance was in full force at the public meeting held at Curchorem on Sunday evening where besides castigating the Bharatiya Janata Party for its misrule and asked people to vote for Capt Viriato Fernandes to protect the Constitution.
Addressing the large crowd that remained rooted despite the late hour, Capt Viriato said the elections were not merely a political battle but a mission to protect the secular fabric of the country by ensuring that the Constitution of India is not changed.
“A BJP minister from Karnataka has very publicly stated that they wanted more than 400 seats only because they want to change the Constitution of the country,” he said, while pointing out that various freedom fighters struggled for long to prepare one of the best Constitutions in the world.
“I am not important, but what is important is that this precious Constitution has to be protected as it is under a very serious threat from the BJP,” he said.
Capt Viriato assured the gathering that he will raise up issues affecting Goa like nationalisation of rivers, Mormugao Port Authority and also the three linear projects against which Goans have been relentlessly fighting.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar pointed out that his party leaders fought for the country’s freedom from British rule, while the BJP backers stayed far away from that fight.
“People of Goa have always respected the sacrifices made by the Congress Party and we are confident that this time, we shall win both the parliamentary seats in Goa,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party accused the BJP of only trying to destroy opposition parties. “They arrested our leader Arvind Kejriwal on the eve of elections to destabilise opposition, which plan failed,” he said.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao in a vitriolic attack against the Revolutionary Goans Party said they are dancing to the tunes of the BJP and hence stayed away from the alliance despite repeated attempts to bring them on board.
“You will be able to meet our candidate Capt Viriato anywhere and anytime whereas it will take 10 days to get an appointment to meet the other candidate in the fray,” he said while asking voters to think which candidate they would want to represent them in the Parliament.
Yuri also accused the BJP of ruling only through lies and said, “The double engine government was only telling lies as it has been lying to us Goans about resumption of mining which was stopped by their own leader Manohar Parrikar in the first place.”
Even as Amit Palekar explained how all efforts to rope in Revolutionary Goans Party with the alliance failed, MLA Altone D’Costa said the fight in South Goa was between the Congress and BJP candidate and a vote to any third candidate would be a “wasted vote”.
