PERNEM: Social worker Tara Kerkar on Saturday threatened to participate with women in the ongoing protest of taximen for taxi stand at Manohar International Airport (MIA) at Mopa.
Strongly backing the taxi operators’ demand, Kerkar said that the government was running away from its responsibility after farmers sacrificed their lands for the airport.
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The cabbies from Pernem have been demanding that the government notify a taxi stand at the MIA and their protest had entered the seventh day on Saturday.
“The taxi counter at the Manohar International Airport is the demand of project affected persons and farmers and rightfully so. The government has failed to fulfil their demand. Is this the peoples’ government?” questioned Kerkar.
The protest which has been ongoing for past few days is currently being held in front of the Pernem administrative complex. It may be recalled that over 90 lakh sq metres of land from five panchayat areas namely Mopa, Uguem, Varkhand, Chandel-Hasapur, Kasarwarne and Poraskade, was acquired for the airport. However, most of the farmers haven’t received their compensation yet.
Taximen under the banner of ‘Together for Mopa’ have been protesting on and off for several months for the issuance of taxi stand for local taxis.
“The government by imposing Section 144 is trying to suppress the voices of the taximen. However, social and political workers through various mediums keep extending their support to the protestors. Based on this massive support, I warn the government that if they don’t issue taxi stand within the given time frame then government will be entirely responsible for whatever untoward incidents which may happen in future,” said Congress General Secretary Adv Jitendra Gaonkar.
