PANJIM: Initial indications that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Asmitai Dis may announce the plan of installing a statue of the Father of Opinion Poll, Dr Jack de Sequeira, in the Goa Legislative Assembly complex appear to be a very distant possibility when this was not even mentioned during the official function at Margao on January 16.
This has now triggered a debate whether the demand will ever be met, considering differences in opinion between the coalition partners. Parrikar has neatly placed the ball in the court of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Pramod Sawant, who on the other hand declined to make any comment.
“It is at the discretion of the Speaker since the decision is (about installing statue) in the Assembly complex. It is Speaker’s prerogative. He has to decide. I am just a government and cannot take the decision,” he said, whereas Sawant refused to comment on the ongoing debate.
Goa Forward has sought that Sequeira’s statue be installed up in the Assembly complex as a mark of respect to the person who contributed to the historic Opinion Poll that gave Goa a separate identity.
Goa Forward has ground support of Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo of BJP who had pressed for resolution even before TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai in the earlier term. He and Sardesai of GFP, have jointly decided to move a resolution in the upcoming Budget session of the Assembly for a statue of the Father of Opinion Poll in the Assembly Complex.
“Panjim has to host next year’s ‘Asmitai Dis’ celebration in a bigger way. Before the 52nd anniversary, the statue of Dr Jack de Sequeira has to be installed in the Assembly and we will take the necessary resolutions in the Legislative Assembly,” Lobo tweeted.
Speaking to Herald, Sardesai confirmed that they will “move a resolution in the coming Budget session of the Assembly”. On being told that CM has said the decision lies with the Speaker, Sardesai maintained it was a technical issue “but otherwise government has to take a call”.
Meanwhile, former Deputy CM and sitting BJP MLA and minister from Mapusa Francis D’Souza has slammed successive governments for the delay. “People have been celebrating Opinion Poll and the Father of Opinion Poll for last 50 years but it is unfortunate that political leaders woke up to the reality now. The resolution in the Assembly should have been taken many years back, particularly at the time when the new Assembly complex was built at Porvorim,” he added.
There is, however, another coalition partner that completely disagrees with giving importance to Sequeira while also demanding that Opinion Poll should not be politicised. “We are giving importance to unnecessary people. Opinion Poll is not everything. We are in India even after the Opinion Poll. We should give importance to people who fought for Goa’s Liberation and Opinion Poll irrespective of any community. Do not politicise it,” Minister and senior MGP leader Ramkrishna (Sudin)
