Team Herald
MARGAO: Condemning the manner in which 20 of AAP’s Delhi legislators were disqualified by the President of India accusing them of holding offices of profit without hearing them and terming the action as undemocratic, AAP Goa State convener Elvis Gomes said the episode is a conspiracy against the Delhi government by the BJP and Congress who could not rest in their attempts to derail the good governance initiatives of the Delhi government.
Appealing to the people of Goa to shun politics of convenience, he lambasted the present dispensation for failing to listen to the voices of dissent against the ruling Parrikar led government and allies.
“The fishermen, toddy tappers, farmers, you and me are all aam aadmis, then why do we need the rule of a few khaas aadmis? Why can’t we show them the door and disallow them to take us for granted,” he said addressing a meeting convened by the Quepem unit of AAP on Sunday. AAP Goa has consciously attempted to work with the marginalised sections of Mul Goenkars or the Bhumi Putras (Scheduled Tribes) of the Quepem constituency, he added.
During the election campaign, AAP Goa, was surprised to learn that the community was devoid of basic facilities like toilets, roads, health, education in a State that boasts of being most developed. Since March 2017, we embarked on a mission to facilitate and the empower them by making them aware of their basic rights through our numerous village and community dialogues held in places like Barcem, Vavurla, Cordem, Morpilla, Khola, Bendurdem to name a few,” he informed.
The government has now directed a survey to be conducted to provide basic infrastructure to the village, pointed out Rupesh Velip, saying a medical camp was also conducted in the region.
AAP Goa Secretary Pradip Padgaonkar lambasted the government for its failure to provide people with basic amenities and appealed to the people to start supporting good candidates.
Attacking the divisive attitude of the BJP government, party leader James Fernandes called upon the people to stay united and not fall prey to hatred.
Quepem constituency coordinator explained that the purpose of the public meeting was to provide a platform to the neglected mul goenkars’ voice their concerns.
A number of leaders from the community representing various villages of the Quepem constituency, including Raagi Vamkar of Dhangar Wada, Paddi and Shobhawati Goankar of Morpilla expressed their grievances and the lack of basic facilities.
Anti-coal activist Rupesh Shinkre expressed the ill-effects of the coal and river nationalisation.
Others who spoke on the occasion include John Fernandes, anti-mining activist. Nilesh Gaonkar, tribal leader Saavy Vamkar and Rajeshree Nagarsekar.
