MAPUSA
The Congress party on Tuesday said Goa needs another struggle like the Opinion Poll day to save Goa from twin issues – Mhadei water diversion and coal menace.
“We will have to gear up to fight the forces that are out to sell Goa. Currently, two issues in the State – Mhadei and coal – are very important. If we don’t carry out a battle like the Opinion Poll against the issues, we will lose Goa,” said Curtorim MLA, Aleixo Reginald Lourenco.
The Curtorim MLA was speaking at a Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) programme to celebrate 51st Opinion Poll day at the North Goa District Committee office in Mapusa.
On the occasion, the party felicitated six persons from Mapusa who contributed for the success of the Opinion Poll at the hands of GPCC President, Shantaram Naik, Leader of Opposition, Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar and Poriem MLA, Pratapsing Rane.
Speaking further, Reginaldo said Goans will have to fight the present dispensation, which has been lying and fooling the people of the State. “All Goans be it Hindus, Christians or Muslims will have to come together and fight these divisive forces which are out to destroy Goa,” he said.
The Curtorim MLA said Congress has rich history and nobody can undo what the party has achieved for the last 60 years at the Centre or the State.
Former chief minister and MP, Francisco Sardinha exhorted the youth come out and fight the evil forces to preserve Goa for posterity.
Without naming the party, Sardinha hit out at the Goa Forward Party for trying to hog the limelight and take the credit of highlighting the Opinion Poll day. “A new party is celebrating the Opinion Poll day…But if the leaders of this party were asked to vote in the Opinion Poll they would have definitely voted for merger,” he said.
Leader of Opposition, Kavlekar said a host of names of Congress leaders comes up whenever any important national day events were commemorated.
The Opinion Poll stalwarts from Mapusa – Shamsunder Naik, Jairam Sirsat, Jeronimo D’Souza, Visvas Nagvenkar, Baburao Karekar and Shaikh Ismael – were felicitated by senior Congress leaders.
