Assures to meet their demands by Dec 19
PANJIM, JUNE 18
Promising goodies to the freedom fighters on the Goa Revolution day, Chief Minister Digamber Kamat today announced that all their pending demands would be met by December 19, this year.
Speaking at the Goa Revolution Day function, at Azad Maidan, Panjim, wherein his government came in for heavy criticism from the Freedom Fighters over the casinos, the Chief Minister said that State Government is sympathizing with the demands of freedom fighters.
Kamat said the State will be entering 50th year of celebrations of Goa’s freedom from December this year.
“I will make sure that all the demands of freedom fighters would be met by December 19, 2010 when Goa enters Golden Jubilee year of Liberation,” Kamat said.
“The Government will make efforts to provide employment to the sons and daughters of freedom fighters by December 19,” he promised.
Freedom Fighters have been demanding government jobs for their children for a long time.
Recalling the call given by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia from Margao to people of Goa on 18th June 1946 to come together and fight against Portuguese rule, Kamat paid tributes to the memory of known and unknown Freedom Fighters, who fought for the cause of freedom.
Governor Dr S S Sidhu, who was the chief guest for the function, said that Goa’s freedom struggle should be adequately reflected in text books all over country so that the future generation can derive inspiration from it.
Dr Sidhu paid tributes to the memory of martyrs and freedom fighters, who he said went through the worst possible hardships, torture and deportation at the hands of the colonial regime only because they wanted to break the shackles of slavery and thereby restore their homeland to Mother India.
14 Freedom Fighters, posthumous and living were honoured at the hands of Governor and Chief Minister with a shawl, srifal and replica of Martyrs Memorial.
PONDA: Goa Revolution Day was celebrated at the Martyr’s Memorial at Kranti Maidan, Ponda today.
Rich Tributes were paid to the martyrs by Home Minister Ravi Naik by placing wreaths on the Martyrs Memorial followed by the Second in Command of 6 Technical Training Regiment Ponda Lieutenant Colonel P. Chandrashekar, President of Freedom Fighters Association, MLAs Mahadeo Naik and Deepak Dhavlikar, President of Ponda Municipal Council Pradip Naik,, Councillors Sanjay Manu Naik, Kishor Naik, Vincent Paul Fernandes, Diksha Naik, Shailendra Shinkre, Deputy Collector and SDO Jayant Tari, SDPO Serafin Dias, Freedom Fighters and other dignitaries.
Ravi Naik complimented the people of Goa on the occasion and said due to the efforts of our freedom fighters the strength of the Portuguese forces weakened and eventually we could attain our Liberation. He paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Goa freedom struggle and said that today we enjoy the fruits of freedom only because of the contribution of the Freedom Fighters.
Naik reviewed the progress of the State since Liberation and said that the State has still to march. The Government he said, has to ensure that while we keep the wheels of progress moving rapidly forward, no section of society and no part of the country is left behind; to ensure that growth generates the necessary wealth which can then finance the welfare of marginalised groups; to ensure that growth generates employment and a bright future for our youth.
Audumbar Shinkre, General Secretary of Freedom Fighters Association, Ponda also spoke.
Patriotic songs were sung by students drawn from the locality and surrounding areas. Certificates were presented to the students at the hands of the Home Minister.
Well known Konkani poet John Aguiar, recited his poem composed on the Goa freedom struggle on the occasion.
Earlier, the Home Minister was received by the Deputy collector and the SDPO Ponda.
