MARGAO: In a symbolic protest outside Lohia Maidan in Margao, two activists, Anthony Da Silva from Ambelim and Glean Cabral from Old Goa, burnt the effigy of an ‘old man’ whose face had a picture of the illegal Old Goa bungalow that had seen widespread protests throughout the year 2022.
It may be recalled that Glean has been part of the agitation against the illegal bungalow since the beginning and was part of the groups that had filed complaints with various government departments including the former Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Chandrakant Kavalekar.
Da Silva, who had attended the historic public meeting in Old Goa at the end of 2021, had also taken part in the satyagraha in Old Goa that had begun on the first day of the Novenas of the feast of St Francis Xavier in the year 2021.
When the novenas of the feast of St Francis Xavier in November 2022 began, Da Silva and Cabral had staged a protest wherein they had walked from the Lohia Chowk in Assolna until they reached the Old Goa by the time of the feast of St Francis Xavier at the Basilica de Bom Jesus.
The duo held a protest again on the New Year’s Eve to express their dismay that the issue of the illegal bungalow is yet to be resolved.
“We are appealing to the government to expedite the processes involved in taking this case to the logical conclusion,” said Cabral while addressing mediapersons on Saturday.
“It has only become a matter of ‘Tareekh pe Tareekh’ as the case (being heard by the Directorate of Panchayats) is being delayed and delayed. Are they trying to play with the sentiments of the public?” Da Silva questioned.
Da Silva also criticised the government on the issue of the Mhadei River diversion and said the words of Union Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari that the new Zuari Bridge is a ‘Christmas gift’ to Goans is hollow as the Centre had given a ‘New Year’s gift to the Karnataka government.
While criticising the Union government for playing appeasement politics with the Karnataka government, Da Silva added that the State government should give the people of Goa a ‘New Year’s gift by razing the illegal structure at Old Goa to the ground.
