MARGAO: At least 12 Councillors of BJP as well of the Congress supported group on Thursday walked out of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) ordinary meeting alleging that the administration “is following wrong procedures in installing the statue of Dr Jack Sequeira at the Opinion Poll Square near Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.”
They alleged that the minutes of the earlier meeting were wrongly recorded and demanded action against the chief officer for this.
The uproar at the council’s meeting started during the confirmation of the earlier meeting’s minutes. MMC chairperson Babita Angle and chief officer Siddhivinayak Naik faced the anger of BJP and Congress supported group over the resolution and confirmation of minutes, which mentioned that the Council has resolved to have a statue of Sequeira, the Father of Opinion Poll.
Prior to the evening meeting, in the morning former Deputy CM and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had pulled up the chief officer for not proceeding with work of the statue installation. “Complete the procedure, we want to put a foundation stone for the statue of Dr Jack Sequeira on Opinion Poll Day. Otherwise, leave the council and go home. Council had decided and you all are sleeping on the proposal,” Sardesai had said while speaking to the chief officer.
The effects of this reflected at the ordinary meeting later that evening, as councillors Rupesh Mahatme, Dorris Texeira and Ketan Kurtarkar, along with several others, vehemently opposed the confirmation calling it a false resolution. They said, “This is false, we never resolved for installation in this manner and with use of municipal funds. Even though the matter came up at the meeting there was no decision on appointing a consultant as mentioned in the minutes,” Mahatme said.
He cited a Supreme Court ruling on the installation of statues at medians and circles, but the chairperson said that the Council resolution stands. Angle said, “It is the people’s demand and we stand by the same.”
At this point the 12 councillors walked out of the meeting and later spoke to the media. Arthur D’Silva said, “What has happened today in the Council has never happened. This is illegal.” Mahatme said, “We are not opposed to the installation of the statue, we are objecting to the way it is being done and with municipal funds. If you want to directly install it we will challenge it and take the chief officer to court.”
He added, “They are appointing a consultant for the work without
expression of interest. There is a process of consulting the Chief Secretary and several other officials of the State, which is the Supreme Court Order. Take the permission and then go ahead.”
Councillor Ketan Kurtarkar said, “This looks like the resolutions are taken and written in someone’s home.”
The Councillors met the chief officer and said they will send a complaint to the Chief Minister and also challenge the decision in the court if required.
