NT NETWORK
MARGAO
Speaker after speaker addressing the gathering during the ‘protest rally’held at the historic Lohia Maidan, on Saturday, demanded that all those candidates who fought 2017 assembly election on anti-BJP manifesto and won it, and then went on to support the BJP to form the government should resign as MLAs and seek a fresh mandate on BJP ticket.
Addressing the crowd for well over 100 minutes, prominent citizens, former minister, social activists, writers besides NCP and Congress party members came down heavily on the Goa Forward Party and said that Fatorda MLA and minister Vijai Sardesai ditched thousands of voters, who voted for him as an anti-BJP leader.
Those gathered for the rally resolved not to vote for a candidate who has betrayed people’s mandate.
The crowd resolved to demand dismissal of the Governor for failing to invite the single largest party to form the government.
“Vijai Sardesai made use of our reputation for seeking votes in Fatorda. Shame on his (Vijai) alter boys Prashant Naik, Mohandas Lolienkar and Dilip. Vijay is big traitor and conspirator of all times. My friends, we can tolerate a robber, but never a betrayer. Vijay, your shadow will make you dormant very soon,” Dr Francisco Colaco, a senior cardiologist, who had shared a stage during the Vijai’s election meetings said in a choked voice.
His expression clearly revealed that he was deeply hurt by the move of Sardesai. Dr Colaco said, “Damu Naik phoned me and said ‘Dotor I (Naik) had told not to vote for Vijai. You saw what he did.’ But when Damu approved Vijai Sardesai’s move, I found Damu as the biggest betrayer.”
Another Fatorda resident Jose Mario Pereira said, “Democracy is in danger, the way BJP grabbed the power and the power hungry embraced the BJP.”
Addressing the crowd, Advocate and former Union minister Ramakant Khalap criticised the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“The people of Goa rejected the BJP, yet the Governor of Goa is welcoming them through the back door,”he said.
He explained how A B Vajpayee did not come forward to form the government at the Centre as he did not have the required number, even after the president of India invited him to form the government for his party being the single largest party.
Girish Chodankar, a Congress leader, explained how the Governor asked the Congress party to keep the letter expressing the support of majority of legislators at the gate, and later refused them to meet on March 11 evening.
He said that he will not be bogged down by the frightening tactics of the BJP, and added that he will fight the cases with even more vigour.
Datta Naik also criticised the Fatorda MLA ‘for his act of betrayal’ and appealed to the people of Goa to “reject such a greedy politician who does not know the value and meaning of the Goykarponn.”
NCP leader Advocate Avinash Bhosle claimed that NCP has issued a show notice to the Benaulim NCP MLA and added that the party does not want him for his selfish move of supporting the BJP.
Tiatrist Francis De Tuem, and several others spoke during the meeting, that was organised by the civil society members.