MARGAO, JULY 13
Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has said he has no idea why certain sections of the Muslim community have raised objections to the setting up of the Kabrastan at Sonsodo.
He, however, said the government will provide all financial assistance to the Muslim community for the development of the existing Kabrastan at Pajifond till land is acquired for spacious burial grounds for the minority Community.
Commenting on the controversy kicked up by the decision of the Margao Municipal Council to acquire land admeasuring 30,000 square meters of land at Sonsodo, the Chief Minister quipped “I really do not know why they are opposing Sonsodo as the site for the proposed Kabrastan. They have not conveyed their decision to me”.
Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said the government is committed to develop the existing kabrastan by replacing the rocky surface, constructing a retaining wall and development the road network. “The government has assured to meet these requirements at the existing Kabrastan. The expenses will be borne by the government to provide basic facilities at the burial ground”, he said.
The government decision assumes significance and it comes against the backdrop of the directions issued by the National Commission for the Minorities to the Goa government to take immediate steps to strengthen and improve the condition of the existing burial grounds at Pajifond pending acquisition of land for a spacious burial ground.
Incidentally, even as the Muslim community on Sunday vowed to oppose Sonsodo as the site for the proposed Kabrastan, the government appears to have found itself in a corner over the long-pending demand of the Minority Community.
It is learnt that Chief Minister is also keen to have the Kabrastan set up at sonsoddo as part of the solution to the long-pending demand, but opposition to the proposal from the community has literally forced the powers that be to keep their fingers crossed on the sensitive issue.
What might further put the Chief Minister in the defensive is the demand by the Muslim community to acquire land admeasuring 99,000 square meters at Aquem as per the resolution adopted by the Goa Legislative Assembly tabled by Kamat himself when he was in the BJP during the tenure of then Chief Minister, Luizinho Faleiro.
