Team Herald
PONDA: The striking lifeguards along with union leader Swati Kerkar on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister drop Tourism Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar from the Cabinet for failing to resolve their issue.
A large police force was deployed at Ponda swimming pool complex.
Demanding that all 600 lifeguards be absorbed in government jobs, Kerkar called for scrapping Drishti contract and accused the company of harassing the lifeguards.
Extending his support to the agitating lifeguards, Curtorim MLA Alex Reginaldo Lourenco said while Goans are struggling for their rights, the BJP government is trying to divide Goans via various tactics. When Drishti retrenched these lifeguards then how it can replace them with other Goans, he asked and called upon Tourism Minister to immediately resolve the issue by fulfilling the demands of the striking lifeguards.
He accused Ajgaonkar of trying to divide Goans by providing training to some new Goans along with non-Goans at the cost of the striking lifeguards.
The MLA said he is not against non-Goans but when it comes to jobs, Goans should be given priority and he questioned as to how training can be conducted at the swimming pool when the same is to be held on the beaches.
MGP leader Ketan Bhatikar also extended his support to the agitating lifeguards and demanded that they be absorbed in government jobs.
