Team Herald
MARGAO: Alleging the government and South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has failed to revert back the decision of changing the zone at Sonsoddo area allotted for kabrastan, Mahesh Amonkar, TMC leader and councillor of Margao Municipal Council, along with other members of Muslim community started hunger strike at Margao, on Tuesday.
He has warned that the hunger strike will continue till he gets the written assurance from Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant alias Babu Kavlekar to revert back the decision of changing the zone marked for kabrastan at Sonsoddo.
Mahesh also appealed to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat to join the hunger strike if not able to resolve the issue.
Speaking to the media persons, Amonkar said that a memorandum in this regard had been submitted to the SGPDA and also had oral discussion with the Deputy Chief Minister Kavlekar, but failed to revoke back the decision of changing the zone at Sonsoddo area allotted for the kabrastan.
It may be recalled that the Margao Municipality had acquired land for the purpose of burial ground for the Muslim community at Sonsoddo. However, recently the same was changed to power sub-station and small housing society for which Mahesh and other members of Muslim community had taken strong objections.
They alleged that neither the concerned authority nor the local MLA had taken the Muslim community into confidence before changing the zone in the Outline Development Plan of Margao.
“I had demanded to change the zone, as it has been allotted to the burial ground for Muslim community. But no response from the concerned authority has forced me to go on hunger strike,” said TMC leader.
He further said that the sole aim of the hunger strike is to get justice to the Muslim community who are struggling to get burial ground for the last several decades.
“The local MLA was not informed about the change in zone, despite having full knowledge of the issue. He has even failed to convey the message to the Muslim community. And hence it is my appeal to the MLA to join the hunger strike if not able to resolve the issue and declare support to the Muslim community in order to resolve the kabrastan issue,” he stated.
Another Muslim leader alleged that injustice has been done to them for the last several years, and all the political leaders have failed in resolving the issue.
