PANJIM: People across Goa paid rich tributes to former prime minister Bharat Ratna late Atal Bihari Vajpayee by garlanding his portraits, on Friday.
Special meetings were organised at Canacona, Mapusa, Margao, Ponda and Sanguem to pay tributes to the departed statesman.
At Bicholim, the local BJP block held meeting to condole the death of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the local MLA Rajesh Patnekar’s office on Friday.
Patnekar’s said that Vajpayee was the only able leader of the nation having unique qualities to head the nation towards prosperity and safety.
Block president Vallabh Salkar said nation has lost a great leader who made his slogan “Garibi Hatao” (finish poverty) successful.
Ardent BJP man Suryakant Desai said Vajpayee always gave pride to the nation. Annapurna Manerkar, BMC chairperson Rajaram Gaonkar, Vijaykumar Natekar, Rajan Kadkade, Ramesh Kalangutkar also expressed similar views.
At Canacona, the local BJP Mandal paid homage to Vajpayee by garlanding his portrait at the party office in Chaudi.
Former Canacona MLA Vijay Pai Khot led the BJP office bearers and party workers in paying floral tributes; Khot also garlanded the portrait of Vajpayee.
At Mapusa, the municipal council paid floral tributes to Vajpayee at the Taxi stand.
MMC Chairperson Ryan Braganza garlanded the photo the late former prime minister and observed a minute silence to pray for the soul of the departed leader; he was joined by councillors and local residents.
On the occasion, Braganza praised the leader for launching the “Golden Highway” project connecting major cities from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.
“His death is a big loss to the nation as he was looked upon as a great leader and received very good support from the opposition. India may never get a great leader like him,” Ryan said.
Councillor Sandeep Falari pointed out that Vajpayee emerged as one of the best statesman of India at a time when people of this nation had lost faith in the democratic government.
“A unique trait of the late former PM was that he never failed to bring out the hidden poet in himself and he laced his speeches with some beautiful poems,” he added.
In Margao, the BJP unit in South Goa offered floral tributes to former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at its district office with two ex-MLAs leading the gathering in paying the tribute.
Former MLA Rajendra Arlekar said that the principles Vajpayee lived for were worth emulating particularly as coming from the grassroots he made a place for himself in the hearts and minds of every Indian.
Former MLA Damodar Naik said he was fortunate to meet Vajpayee twice when he came to Goa including the “Chintan Bhaitak” conference at the Goa International Centre and fondly remembered the sparkle in Vajpayee’s eyes and the pregnant pauses he took while speaking concisely.
In Ponda, former MLA and freedom fighter Rohidas Naik led the people in paying rich tributes to Vajpayee.
He informed that at the invitation of then chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar, Vajpayee inaugurated the statue of King Shivaji at Farmagudi Fort which has become a top tourist spot drawing large crowd.
Highlighting the late leader’s concern for the people, Rohidas Naik recalled, “During the inaugural function, hundreds of people had arrived at Farmagudi to hear Vajpayee speaking and some even had climbed on trees to hear him. Concerned about their safety, Vajpayee urged the people not to risk their lives to hear him speaking.”
Meanwhile, the citizens from Sanguem at a special meeting held at Sanguem, paid rich tributes to the departed leader Vajpayee.
Speakers at the meet who included Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar, SMC Chairperson Romualdo Fernandes, Councillors Queroz Cruz, Maria Fernandes, Suryadatt Naik, locals Manoday Phadte, Manoj Paryekar and others lauded the good work done by the departed leader.
(With inputs from correspondents based at Bicholim, Canacona, Ponda and Sanguem and reporters based at Mapusa and Margao.)
