Muslims feel cheated by Cong, threaten to back BJP
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, JAN 11
Congress beware! The Muslim community feels cheated by the Congress government not only on the burning kabrastan issue, but on the question of employment for the educated youth from the community.
Accusing the Congress for treating the Muslim community as a vote bank, members of the community on Tuesday threatened to support the BJP in Margao and Navelim Assembly constituencies if the government fails to address their long-pending grievances, including the demand for a burial ground.
The threat was conveyed to South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha when a delegation of Muslim leaders called on him in the South Goa district Collectorate on Tuesday noon to discuss the burning Kabrastan issue.
Initially, the South Goa MP told the delegation that he is ready to sanction Rs 20 lakh for the proposed Kabrastan once land is acquired by the State government.
But, the Muslim delegation was not impressed by the promise made by the MP. They wanted Sardinha to use his good offices not only as an MP, but a senior Congress leader to ensure that the kabrastan issue is solved once and for all.
The delegation was highly critical of the government saying the Congress government has only used the community as vote bank.
A senior member of the delegation pointed out that though Muslims have supported the Congress party all throughout, the community has not been given adequate employment and other facilities by the government.
“The Muslims have only been used as a vote bank. The Congress government has not solved any of the problems facing the community. There is no employment for the community. For 25 long years, we had supported the Congress. In return, what we got was odd jobs of sweepers. Moti Dongor has brought bad name. Kiosks under the Deen Dayal scheme have only been given to one particular community,” the senior member said, adding that the Congress thinks that giving a samoosa, biryan and Rs 500 can fetch votes from the Muslim community”.
Participating in the discussions, Dawod Matin Carol drew attention of the South Goa MP to the 1999 resolution passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly to acquire land for a kabrastan at Aquem. “The government has kept on hold the land acquisition process and instead is acquiring land at Sonsodo much against the wishes of the Muslim community,” he said, adding that the district Collector, South was even told by the Minority Commission to initiate the land acquisition process to acquire land at Aquem within six months, but in vain.
After giving a patient hearing, the MP said he would seek the intervention of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to solve the kabrastan imbroglio. “I will ask the chief minister to convene a meeting with the Muslim community. I will also attend the meeting in support of the genuine demand of the community,” Sardinha added.
On the opposition by the Muslim community for the Kabrastan at Sonsodo, the MP said this and other issues can be discussed threadbare at the proposed meeting with the Chief Minister.
