PANJIM: After politicians, now freedom fighters have joined controversy over naming of new Mopa International Airport and want it to be named after freedom fighter Dr T B Cunha, who is regarded as ‘Father of Goa’s Nationalism’.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Goa Freedom Fighters Association Secretary Gurudas Kunde said, “We the freedom fighters of Goa are deeply pained at the ongoing public wrestling over the naming of Mopa International Airport by different political groups and parties after Goa’s first Chief Minister Bhausaheb Bandodkar and former defence minister and former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar and first Leader of Opposition Dr Jack de Sequeira, who spearheaded the movement to retain Goa’s identity from merging Maharashtra. We respect the three politicians of Goa for their immense contribution for the welfare of the State but also humbly submit that they also have opponents in the Goan society and had their own limitation.”
The Association strongly feels that the international airport be named after such a Goan personality, who had an international reputation as one for the world leaders, a visionary, a thinker, a Statesman and holds a respectable place in the hearts of the Goans across the board, irrespective of their political affiliations or ideological bindings. The whole world visiting our international tourist destination should also know when they land our State that is a tiny State has produced such a towering personality.
The Association has urged the Prime Minister to look beyond political boundaries and name the new international airport after Dr Tristao Braganza Cunha, who is honoured by all the Goans as ‘Father of Goa’s Nationalism’, but has no significant monument in his own State till date, except a small memorial of his mortal remains at Azad Maidan, Panjim.
The Goa Freedom Fighters Association has requested the Prime Minister to visit Goa on Liberation Day and to inaugurate the new international airport.
