MARGAO: Goencho Ekvott on Friday lambasted the State government for filing FIRs against executive members of Goencho Ekvott and Goyant Kolso Naka for opposing attempts of converting Goa into a coal hub for the benefit of heavy industries across Goa’s borders at the cost of the health and livelihood of the residents of Goa.
Goencho Ekvott warned that if the government doesn’t agree to the people’s demand there will be lakhs of people joining the protests in the future.
Goencho Ekvott founder Orville Dourado Rodrigues, women’s wing convenor Ella Mascarenhas, convenor Creson Antao, Jose Cabral, Royla Fernandes and others were present at the media briefing.
Rodrigues, advising the government, said, “Instead of protecting its people, the government of Goa is trying to stifle the voice of the masses. I appeal to the Home Minister to immediately cancel the FIRs filed on frivolous charges when lakhs of people across the globe were watching the event ‘live’.”
He also appealed for unity between both organisations and said both had several rounds of meetings to iron out differences between them.
Antao expressed shock that FIRs were filed against executive members of Goencho Ekvott and Goyant Kolso Naka, not by the Railway Police but by Goa Police at the behest of the state government.
Antao said, “I and Goencho Ekvott team are not afraid of such official intimidation tactics and will take this as a challenge which will ultimately bear fruit.”
Antao also divulged the main demands which were put across to the CM, which, among others, included scrapping of the land acquisition process, illegal works of SWR, extract MPT from the Major Ports Authority Bill 2020, Satellite Port in Betul, and three linear projects through Goa.
Executive member Jose (Raju) Cabral said, “It was
funny that the Home Ministry had filed cases against the very people who are spending sleepless nights to protect their motherland, Goa.” He appealed to all NGOs, individuals, and political parties to back Goencho Ekvott to fight the menace of coal with all resources at their disposal.
Fernandes touched on the climate change issue, which she said is a hot topic across the world, but the government of India is not giving it due importance and attention that it deserves.
Mascarenhas appealed to the people of Goa to back the people’s movement spearheaded by Goencho Ekvott and the 30 organisations which are supporting it, to oppose the infrastructure being made specifically for the movement of toxic coal through Goa, which will bring untold misery to the residents along the existing railway tracks.
Later in the evening, Goencho Ekvott addressed a well-attended awareness campaign meeting at Carmona, which was addressed by Antao, Dr Bolmax Pereira, Captain Viriato Fernandes, Dr Jorson Fernandes, Roger Godinho, and Arch Royla Fernandes.
Over 60 youth from across Goa performed a skit and danced to popular music. Local youth also sang songs while a villager welcomed Goencho Ekvott to their village.
