Residents of Fatorda on Monday vehemently opposed local MLA Vijai Sardesai’s plan to shift the Portuguese-era St Francis Xavier Chapel located near the Fatorda stadium.
the goan I network
MARGAO
Accusing the MLA of misguiding the people by saying he was shifting the heritage chapel since it would go for demolition during road widening, a resident Melvyn Fernandes told the media that information gathered by residents has revealed that the road widening will not affect the chapel at all. The MLA is planning to shift the chapel to save the land owned by
the Chowgule Industries, he added.
Addressing the media, Melvyn said that the PWD has planned road widening only on the Chowgule Industries side and makes no mention of the demolition of the chapel. “We fail to understand why the MLA has been in a tearing hurry to shift the chapel inside the Nehru Stadium when the Supreme Court has ruled as illegal relocation of religious structures on public land,” he said.
Referring to the MLA’s purported statement that the local parish priest had approached him to shift the heritage chapel from the present location, Melvyn said, “When a group of Fatorda residents approached the priest, he denied having called on the MLA with a request to shift the chapel. Even the chapel committee is not in support of the shifting.”
Joseph Silva asserted that the MLA has no right to take any decision on the shifting of the heritage chapel, adding that only the Catholic community from Fatorda can take a decision on the issue. “Now, it is clear that the MLA wanted to save the Chowgule land, which has already been acquired for the road-widening project. The MLA was only misguiding the people,” he said.
Piedade Noronha also requested the MLA to stop fooling the people of Fatorda on the issue.
