Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Panjim MLA Sidharth Kuncalienker vent his anger at taxi operators for disrespecting ministers, MLAs and ex-MPs during their agitation last weekend, calling them ‘arrogant’ and saying they lacked decorum.
The BJP leader, claiming to be “anguished” over the situation at Azad Maidan, said, “For any agitation there has to be decorum. There were ministers, ex-chief ministers like Luizinho Faleiro and Digambar Kamat. They are our State leaders. I may not be with their (Congress) party but they are my leaders, State leaders. You have to respect them. The way arrogance was shown during the agitation, it is not right for any agitation. When my State leaders are being insulted, I have to be anguished.”
Several ruling and opposition leaders had met the agitating taxi operators. Minister and Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai, party MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyekar, Congress leaders like Faleiro, Kamat, Shantaram Naik and others spent some time with the agitators. While they sat on the ground along with the agitators, Sardesai and BJP MLA Michael Lobo, who also dropped in, were booed by the crowd.
Kuncalienker supported the installation of speed governors in taxis claiming that the government has not bent down to the taxi operators demands.
“Government has not bogged down to their demands. The government has handled the situation very well. We have got a lot more than what was bargained for…” he said adding, “Whatever has to be done for the safety of the citizens has to be done. Finally, the health cost has to be borne by the state. When Supreme Court decides you have to go by that decision. We will have to take safety precautions.”
Claiming he is not against the taxi union, he hinted that it has 1 percent black sheep that spoils the image of the entire business fraternity.
