TEAM HERALD
OLD GOA: Concerned over the lack of recognition to then opposition leader Dr Jack de Sequeira by successive governments, the Konkani Kala Kendra (KKK) of Merces has demanded that the political establishment in the State honour this great son of Goa by installing his life-sized statue at a prominent place in the capital city.
“It is due to the efforts of Dr Sequeira that Goa remained a separate entity with its own and unique identity,” said KKK President Sebastiao Fernandes, while demanding that the statue of this great personality be installed before the completion of his 100th birth anniversary that is on April 20, 2015.
“A resolution was passed in the Goa Legislature Assembly in March 1994 that was proposed by the then Panjim MLA J B Gonsalves and supported by then Margao MLA Babu Naik and Santa Cruz MLA Victor Gonsalves,” informed Fernandes.
He added that panchayats of Merces, Santa Cruz, Calangute and recently the Orlim Panchayat had also passed resolutions urging the authorities to install a life-size statue of the first opposition leader in the assembly.
KKK member Robert Rodrigues informed that a memorandum was submitted by the organization, through proper channels, requesting the government to install a life-size statue of Dr Jack de Sequeira at a prominent location.
“KKK had proposed places at Panjim bus stand circle or at the Merces circle, near the Dr Jack de Sequeira junction,” Rodrigues stated.
“Today we are enjoying the fruits of being a separate State with our own culture and identity due to the efforts of honest personality like Dr Jack de Sequeira because of whom we have 40 MLAs, ministers, deputy CM and CM to rule the State,” Rodrigues said.
“If the Opinion Poll was lost, we would have ended as a district of Maharashtra,” he opined and added that the politicians owe their positions to this great leader.
“Till today, not a single government recognized the contributions of Dr Sequeira and hence we request the current government led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to install a life-size statue of this great personality, which will be a true tribute,” he added.
“It would be befitting if Dr Sequeira’s statue is installed before April 20, 2015, which happens to be his 100th birth anniversary,” he informed.
