his new political party would fulfil his as well as Goans’ dream for Special Status to Goa, however after his death, the government in power has betrayed his trust completely.
He was speaking to reporters after garlanding late Matanhy Saldanha’s statue on the occasion of Saldanha’s 68th birthday at Cansaulim junction on Monday.
Recalling his association with Matanhy when he worked as his OSD and Personal Secretary, Gomes said he learnt a lot from the selfless Goan leader.
He said that promises made to Matanhy by the BJP like granting of special status and also on environment protection, the BJP government was found wanting. The upcoming election will be crucial for all Goans.
“In last five years, the government failed to fulfil Matanhy’s dream and even today the people of state want this dream of special status to come true. I have a strong belief that in the upcoming assembly elections the issue of Special status will be taken up very aggressively by the people. Besides the special status, Matanhy was keen to protect the environment in Goa, but under the present government’s rule, the state environment is getting destroyed day-by-day”.
AAP candidate from Cortalim and Secretary of Goenchea Ramponkaranchea Ekvott (GRE), Olencio Simoes, and GRE president Agnelo Rodrigues slammed the BJP government for betraying trust of Matanhy and fishermen community that helped it to come to power.
The present government pro-corporate and anti-poor and 2017 Assembly elections BJP will realise its standing in the State as people are fed up with BJP and Congress, Simoes alleged adding that the AAP would form the next government.
Rodrigues recalled the struggles of the fishermen and called for the unity of all Goans to continue to protect the sea, marine life, seashores and all that is Goan.
Dr Marconi Correia called upon the gathering to imbibe the values that Matanhy stood by in all his years of activism and accused the BJP of cheating Matanhy for not fulfilling his dreams. He said that except for a installing a portrait in the South Goa Collectorate BJP did nothing for poor and common man of Goa. Meanwhile, RDA Minister and Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha also paid her respect to her late husband by garlanding his statue at Cansaulim junction. She reminded that Matanhy had vision and she has been striving hard to follow his footsteps.
