BLISTERING KICK OFF TO "SAVE GOA" CAMPAIGN
Massive rally at Azad Maidan warns the government against implementing the Regional Plan 2011 without necessary changes
AZAD MAIDAN-PANJIM, Dec 18: "Goenchea loka kodden khellonakat, tumcho lhasun gobor zatolo." (Don't play with the feelings of Goans, you will turn to ashes). "If the Plan is not scrapped, we will scrap the government itself."
The famed Azad Maidan in Panjim was a sea of heads. A 10,000-strong crowd overflowed the ground and listened in rapt attention from the sidewalks outside the ground, as speaker after speaker blasted the government and its planners and demanded revocation of the draconian Regional Plan 2011 or face the consequences. People from all walks of life, all faiths, priests, bhatts... singers, musicians... from Terakhol in the North to Palolem in South... all had assembled in Panjim to express their ire against the selfishness that the politicians have injected in the Regional Plan. They demanded that the Plan be scrapped.
"We Goans are peaceful, dear and large-hearted people. However, we have been taken for granted, we have been cheated just because we are peaceful, dear and large-hearted. We are called sussegad, laid back. Of course, we are. But you mess with us, you fool with our land, you sell us for a price, then hell hath no fury like a Goan scorned. We will rise to a man and will defend this land to the last drop of our blood... You, politicians and ministers, put your hands on the heart and ask yourself whether you can forgive yourselves... You are just forty people, and with the police for support, say one hundred in all. But we are 11 lakh people - Goans and non-Goans...," said Dr Oscar Rebello, convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan.
"I don't know what sort of a curse Goa's soil has to endure. Despite being freed from the colonial Portuguese 45 years ago, on that same day - December 18 - Goans have to come on the streets to demand their rights from the very same people we have elected to lead us... The Regional Plan 2011 is an irrevocable sale deed of Goa. The planning has been done by the selfish government for selfish business. We shall not rest until the Plan is burnt to ashes, because we believe that one's mother and motherland is greater than heaven. We will never allow this heaven to be converted into hell," thundered Shridhar Kamat, co-convenor of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan.
Former Speaker Tomazinho Cardozo gave the example of what will happen to the beautiful Baga hillock in the wake of the Plan. He said that Goa will no longer remain peaceful, beautiful and cultured, if we do not consider it our responsibility to tell the government that it cannot ride roughshod over people's wishes and welfare. "However, even in the case of the Regional Plan, Goans will definitely have the last say. Its proof is the solid unity of Goans we witness here this evening. We see here the solidarity of the people from all walks of life, who feel that Goa should be protected," Tomazinho added.
Let the Court give its decision, but the people's court has already dumped the Regional Plan in the waste paper basket. When such a massive gathering says that we do not want the Regional Plan, the government will have to listen.
Said Remo Fernandes, "Every one comes to Goa, they fall in love with Goa and want to buy Goa... All the ministers are nothing but our servants, since we have given them our job by electing them. When we go out to earn money to pay these servants, they start to sell everything that is in our house." Thereafter he strummed the guitar and sang, "Hey Minister, I see your desire, I see that your loins are on fire...Please don't rape your mother. Please don't rape my mother...O Montri, as tuji motti...Maimche abruchi kori naka mati..."
"Down the ages, we have seen Goa being looted by various rulers... right up to the Portuguese... But these rulers have also left behind at least something good... Kadambas left behind the Saptakoseshwar temple, Adil Shah left the Secretariat, Portuguese left us rich heritage in the form of churches. Unfortunately, in liberated Goa, our own people are robbing us, robbing our mother," said Cyril Fernandes.
Said Patricia Pinto, "Thank you, Goa, for coming here in thousands. Today, the movement has been started by the people... We have to really get up and tell the government that they are not for us." Amidst shouts of "Patricia tum age baddo, Oscar tum age baddo, Ham tumhare sath hain", she asserted firmly, "We are going to win this battle."
Hema Sardessai: "It is our responsibility to save Goa." And then belted a part of the Konkani song she has composed for her husband.
Narayan Naik, head of the Padmanaban Sampradaia, said that he was grateful to the Goa Bachao Abhiyan for bringing awareness of the dangers that lie ahead for Goa if the Regional Plan is allowed to be passed, and assured full support from his organisation.
Goacan's Roland Martins said that most of the people who had gathered at the Azad Maidan today have witnessed as well as participated in a number of major movements over the last 25 years. He cautioned the government that no government will be able to put down a popular uprising judging by precedents. He informed that we now have the access to the internet and "we will reach each and every investor whether in the country or overseas and reveal to them the misdeeds of our planners".
Popular singer Hema Sardessai recounted how drugs, prostitution, paedophilia, AIDS, etc have become a common feature in the coastal areas of Goa. "I stand for Goa completely, for I love Goa completely," she stated. She sang a Konkani song, but said that it was not to entertain the people, but to convey her protest against the Regional Plan.
"Don't cry Goa, don't cry. Your sons and daughters have come here, and we won't allow the rape of Goa," thundered Adv Satish Sonak, who was arrested along with Patricia Pinto for trying to protect the tree being chopped down at Santa Inez recently.
"Whenever we launched movements against social injustice, someone or other would complain that it was parochial or carried on by this community or that. But today Christians, Hindus and Muslims have joined hands to put up a united fight against the evil Plan to loot and destroy Goa," said Fr Eremita Rebello.
Adv Aires Rodrigues: "If this Regional Plan is not cancelled it will lead to Goa's destruction. Goa's politicians - Chief Minister, ministers and every MLA - are responsible for the the evil designs hidden in the Regional Plan, because not a single MLA took courage to raise any objection. If the Chief Minister is unable to change the Plan, he should resign. People like Dr Oscar Rebello should be in the Assembly, because they alone can take care of its health.
Dr Francisco Colaco recalled a song composed and sung by Alfred Rose - "Noman, Noman tuka Goa". "Our dreams and desires have been shattered, because the 40 MLAs are eager to sell Goa to the highest bidder." However, Dr Colaco said that Goans will remain vigilant to fight nefarious plans.
Froilano Machado, former Speaker of the Goa Assembly, who is well past 75, said that Goans should remain ever alert because the people elected by us will not think twice before destroying, fuelled by their greed for power and money. "If this plan is not discarded, we will fight to the last drop of our blood," he observed, and recalled the likes of VM Salgaocar, who always thought of the welfare of Goa.
Fr Maverick Fernandes bemoaned the fact that we have been writing to the government for so long, but the government has brought the strange Regional Plan without taking the public into confidence. At least by seeing the massive crowd gathered at the Azad Maidan, the government should realise its mistake and try to make amends, Fr Fernandes hoped.
Arvind Bhatikar, Serafino Cota, Ramesh Veluskar, Dilip Borkar, Prajal Sakhardande, Sabina Martins and Dr Dessai also spoke about the reason why they oppose the Regional Plan 2011. The historic rally began with the music played by a brass band. There was an interesting exhibition illustrating in detail the Regional Plan, plus posters, cartoons and caricatures by Alexyz and others.
A resolution passed today demanded that the draconian and monstrous "Regional Plan for Goa 2011" be revoked with immediate effect, and reformulated through a process that is democratic, inclusive and consultative, to incorporate the views of the local bodies and the people of Goa as envisaged in the 73rd and 74th amendment to the Constitution of Inida. It also requested the government of the day to respect in all sincerity the timeless adage that Democracy is "for the people, of the people and by the people". [GoaNewsClips]

THE RALLY IN PICTURES


All hands up, clapping.

PYMCA's Patricia Pinto

Veeam singing melodiously for Goa

Remo makes his point and sings too

A section of the massive crowd

A rustic, elderly woman dances while Hema sings for Goa

A trio singing in Konkani

Goa Bachao Abhiyan convenor Dr Oscar Rebello reads the oath

Bondo: war drums?


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