Team Herald
Margao: Goa Forward Party has asserted that the return of the seafarers has happened solely because of the pressure on the Central and State government, not so much political pressure but moral pressure, brought on by the seafarers, their families, the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) and those NGOs, citizens supporting them.
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GFP President Vijai Sardesai said “GFP at the outset wishes to caution that this is just a small, though important, battle-victory. The bigger war, however, is still to be won. So there is no need for overreaction or for complacency. Yes, right, as we say in Konkani: “Xitta fuddem mitt kaunchem nhoi”! GFP will say this till the last Goan seafarer safely returns home to Goa.”
While criticizing Churchill Alemao, Vijai said “Unfortunately, as usual, some politicians who claim to be-self styled leaders of the seafarers are attempting to take credit for something that was purely a victory due to the sheer grit and determination of the seafarer community and less due to any politician or the political class” he said.
Vijai said the antipathy of the govt towards him stems from the fact that he has understood the role of the opposition, which is to ask the hard and uncomfortable questions of the ruling party and having not succeeded in silencing him and preventing him from asking the uncomfortable questions, they (govt) is now using the supposed-to-be the non-ruling NCP MLA to target me. “
On what ground is Churchill criticizing me. I am on Fatorda ground. Is he on some football ground where the generosity of the ruling party fetches his family club more than Rs 6 crore rupees from this CM?” flayed Vijai
“The fastest solution to your woes would have been if the Centre had allowed charter or rescue flights to land at least in Mumbai and in Goa as asserted by GSAI. We hope this will be done at least on May 3 or else it may require more “surgical strikes” to wake up and goad into action this insensitive govt,”said Vijai, while adding that GFP will continue making noise about the seafarers’ welfare and return as a responsible opposition party.
