MARGAO: There’s disquiet in Salcete’s countryside over PWD Minister Sudin Dhavlikar’s utterances on bikinis and pubs and government’s silence on demand to ban Ram Sene Chief Pramod Muthalik’s from setting up a unit in Goa.
In fact, a public meeting has been convened at Navelim on Thursday evening to take stock of the situation especially in view of the PWD Minister’s utterances and Muthalik’s plans in Goa. Navelim resident George Barretto, who has convened the public meeting at Navelim, said the meeting will be attended by people from Navelim, Dramapur, Sao Jose de Areal, Benaulim, Telaulim, Rumdamol and other neighbouring villages to take stock of the situation. “What’s happening in Goa is in bad taste. We will unveil our stand on Dhavlikar and Muthalik at tomorrow’s meeting at Navelim,” informed George, who is a close aide of the Fisheries Minister, and Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado.
Incidentally, the Navelim MLA had demanded a government ban on Pramod Muthalik’s Ram Sene from opening a unit in Goa. In fact, the fisheries minister is the lone Cabinet Minister in the Parrikar government, who has openly called for a ban on Ram Sene and Pramod Muthalik.
Dramapur-Sirlim panch member Domnick Norohna lamented that people are supporting Muthalik’s ideology when they ought to have demanded ban on Ram Sene in the State. “People are very upset over the developments in recent days and the government’s silence on the issue,” he said.
Sources said that this is the second time that the PWD Minister has made an attempt to give a communal touch to issues involving the minorities. “Last time round, the PWD Minister had called for confiscating of properties of all Goans who have acquired Portuguese citizenship. His statements smacks of communal politics”, remarked a youth from Benaulim.
In fact, a political observer said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s stand equating Gujarat-based Priest Fr Cedric Prakash with Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik had stirred discontentment and resentment, especially amongst sections of minorities. “What is happening in the state is indeed bad. When leaders make statements, it emboldens the ordinary party worker, which can create fissures in the society,” remarked an activist.
