There are two camps in Margao. The town’s residents are watching for how long Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza will stay Margao Municipal Council (MMC) chairperson Gonzaco Rebello’s illegal construction in Mungul. On the other side, the councillors are wondering whether they did the right thing in supporting Rebello and protesting against the MMC Chief Officer (CO) last week.
Former Chairperson and Ward No 1 councillor Arthur D’Silva pointed out that the protest definitely gave the council a bad name especially when the municipal elections are just eight months away.
“I fought against the Vijai Sardessai-Digambar Kamat lobby to get Gonzaco elected, so I definitely can’t comment on his construction and its legality. I think the law should take its own course. I have not interfered in his case or its hearing and I want to distance myself from this issue,” asserted D’Silva.
Another voice regretting the meeting at the municipality building entrance is that of councillor Tito Cardozo, son of former MLA Alex Cardozo. Tito feels that the councillors have their meeting chamber and their meeting and protest should have stayed there and not been brought at the entrance.
“Let me clarify. We all came to the municipality for a joint meeting called by Gonzaco with CO Naveen SL to address issues related to sanitation and that the CO totally sidelined us. This meeting of all the councillors was called at 11 am by Gonzaco with prior appointment with CO. But the CO ditched us and only at 1 pm told us, he can’t make it. That’s what Gonzaco told us after a telephone call,” claimed Cardozo.
He pointed out it was only after this that the councillors came down and were in no mood to protest, but the media baited them into this, linking it to Rebello’s alleged illegal construction and put the MMC councillors into bad light.
Deputy Chairperson Dayanand Mayekar stated that they went to meet the CO and that it was no brotherly action to support the chairperson or his activities or construction. But, Mayekar questions as to why the CO heard this case on a priority basis with a thrice-a-week hearing, while other cases of illegalities and encroachments in the municipality are being heard over a period of 12 months or more.
“We have nothing to do in Gonzaco’s case. I question the urgency of the CO in hearing this case alone while I must point out that the CO must answer as to why he has sidelined the entire MMC and as to why he is taking decisions without our consultation especially on issuing construction licenses,” says the Deputy Chairperson.
Joseph D’Silva, one of the four councillors not present at the protest against the CO outside the municipality, stated that he was really happy not to be party to that.
“I was in Pune and not in town and stayed out of all these protests against the CO, but I am baffled as to how this CO is not interested in taking any action against illegal constructions in Fatorda, Mungul, Borda and Aquem while he focuses on this one case,” D’Silva said.
D’Silva feels that a probe is needed in the CO’s actions and his affinity towards the builder lobby while he takes a stand that he won’t support anything illegal even if it’s by a councillor.
Councillor Bertha Cardozo said that they supported Rebello and the order of demolition against his construction was the blunder of the press.
“That meet outside the municipality was never a meeting or protest to support Gonzaco. If we wanted to do that, we would have done so at the first sitting itself and not around the judgment time. We squatted outside to protest the CO behaviour towards us councillors over the last few weeks and he’s ulterior motive of supporting the building lobby,” Bertha Cardozo said.
“I am open for a no-confidence and defeat this chairperson who’s embroiled in illegality. I am not party to his panel. I stayed away from his organized protest and feel we should defeat a controversial chairperson of this kind,” she added.
Another councillor Pratima Coutinho said, “I have clearly stated that all the drama is by the BJP government and its very own handpicked chairperson Gonzaco Rebello. I am not supporting him in any way. I joined the protest the other day because I wanted to protest against the deputy CM and I am totally anti-Gonzaco and his deeds.”
Most councillors while speaking to Herald gave the feeling that Rebello tricked them into the meeting with the CO to address all their issues and after Naveen refused to meet them or refused to turn up, the thought of converting it into a protest has definitely left bad repercussions to the council, ahead of elections.
While councillors Raju Nayak and Sadanand Nayak refused to comment, Rebello continues his Rahul Gandhi kind of sabbatical with his phone on switched off mode for another week.
