TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Sending a stern message to the government not to test the people’s patience, Goans for Dabolim Only Convenor Fr Eremito Rebello on Saturday demanded that MLAs supporting the Parrikar regime withdraw support to the government if the ruling dispensation does not scrap the Mopa airport.
Fr Rebello gave the call to the MLAs while addressing an anti-Mopa rally called by the Benaulim villagers near the Benaulim Panchayat Ghar on Saturday evening, The villagers also submitted a memorandum to the Sarpanch Remedious Fernandes, who later told the media that he would soon call a special meeting of the panchayat body to adopt a resolution opposing Mopa and assured to forward the memorandum to the government for necessary action.
Armed with placards opposing Mopa and calling upon the government to retain Dabolim as Goa’s lone international airport, the villagers took out the rally from the Holy Trinity Church junction before culminating near the Panchayat Ghar. A huge posse of policemen descended at Benaulim before the commencement of the rally. Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco and Nuvem Zilla Panchayat member Wilfred D’Sa made their presence felt at the venue to express solidarity with the villagers. Benaulim ZP member Maria Rebello was also present.
In his address, Fr Rebello said the MLAs should join the people on the streets if they are sincerely supporting the anti-Mopa movement. “We do not want you to issue mere statements in the media expressing your support to the movement. Come down on the streets and join the people”, Fr Rebello said, while calling upon the supporting MLAs to consider withdrawal of support to the government in a worst scenario.
“Withdraw your support to the chief Minister who has returned to power because of the support from our people, but has gone against the very people who voted him to power”, the GFDO convener said, while warning the government not to test people’s patience.
In his brief address, activist Rajendra Kakodkar told the people that the Mopa airport is a big SEZ scam, while urging the people to oppose the airport tooth and nail. “The airport is expected to cost the developer around Rs 3000 crore, but he will rake in profits to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore out of the real estate development on the government acquired land’, he said, while urging the MLAs to question the chief minister whether the government is interested in the airport or is abetting the real estate scam.
Convenor of BVAC Seby Fernandes said the presence of strong police force at the starting point of the rally might have instilled fear in many a villager, but said that Benaulim villagers need not fear the police force in the battle against the Mopa airport. Former Benaulim Sarpanch, Royla Fernandes, while proposing the vote of thanks, urged the people to unitedly oppose the proposed airport at Mopa.
In the memorandum, the villagers feared that the tourist inflow into South Goa will reduce significantly if Mopa comes into existence, adversely affecting the small time entrepreneurs from Benaulim and from the South Goa coast. “Unless Mopa airport is scrapped, Goa will no longer exist, and will be replaced by a city like Gurgaon or Noida leading to the extinction of Goans and our priceless culture and identity”, the memorandum stated.
