PANJIM: Indirectly taunting Congress for its demand to get Special Status to Goa for monetary assistance, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Saturday said it is sad to note that there are certain sections who till today want Goa to be dependent on Central funding.
“Dr Jack de Sequeira, father of opinion poll, fought to ensure that Goa remained a separate entity with its own and unique identity. But unfortunately, it is sad to see that there are certain sections, who till today want us to live on central favours and funding,” Parsekar said.
“It is important that for the development, welfare and growth of the State, all, irrespective of political affiliation, come together and work,” the chief minister said.
Parsekar was speaking on the occasion of the release of a commemorative philatelic special cover to mark the birth centenary of Dr de Sequeira, the first leader of the opposition of Goa Daman and Diu legislative assembly. The function was attended by Environment Minister Alina Saldanha, BJP MLA Michael Lobo and Independent MLA Vijay Sardessai. The family of Dr de Sequeira was also present on the occasion.
Parsekar thanked Dr de Sequeira for bringing in the Opinion Poll to determine whether Goa should be merged with Maharashtra or not. “It was because of him that Goa got statehood on May 30, 1987,” he said.
The chief minister lamented that the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) always wanted to merge Goa with Maharashtra and even today there are few who still wants it.
The special cover released Saturday morning depicts the old secretariat building where the Legislative Assembly was located when the Opinion Poll was held in 1965 and statehood was achieved in 1987. The cancellation which makes this cover special depicts a picture of Dr Sequeira.
The postal department has used the postage stamp issued on the occasion of the centenary of the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi to India released by the Prime Minister on January 8, 2015.
