Team Herald
CALANGUTE: The village of Calangute joined the rest of Goa in marking Opinion Poll Day celebration as they paid floral tributes to the statue of Jack Sequeira at Calangute on Wednesday.
After garlanding the statue of JackSequeira, Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo pointed out the Opinion Poll is a State function and should be celebrated at the government level.
“The history of Goa’s struggle and the Opinion Poll movement should be included in the school curriculum. MGP should also take the initiative to install a statue at the Legislative Assembly Complex as Jack Sequeira and Dayanand Bandodkar were good friends. These two are an important part of Goan history,” Lobosaid.
CalanguteSarpanch Shawn Martins spoke about the history of the opinion poll and the vision of Jack Sequeira to foresee the loss of Goanidentity in case Goa had merged with Maharashtra.
“We are not sure whether we will get special status, but I would like to appeal to all Goans not to sell their land to outsiders just for the greed of money. If one is compelled to sell it, then, please make sure the buyers is a Goan,” Martins said.
He also informed that the panchayat plans to institute a scholarship in memory of Jack Sequeira.
Freedom fighter Ciriaco Dias, who was an associate of Jack Sequeira, spoke of his experience during the movement and how he campaigned in the days leading to the Opinion Poll in 1967.
Grandson of late Dr Jack Sequeira who is named after him shared his experience at the occasion. “My grandfather was a very determined person and once he decided something there was no coming back.He was a politician by compulsion and not by choice,” he pointed out.
Earlier in the day, former CalanguteSarpanch Joseph Sequeira who was instrumental in installing the statue of Jack Sequeira in Calangute also offered floral tributes.
Others who were part of the celebration include ZP Member DattaprasadDabolkar, CandolimSarpanch Blaize Fernandes and Calangute ComunidadeAttorney Anthony D’Souza.
