Ribandar: A day after facing the complaint of defamation from Union Minister Shripad Naik and his son Siddhesh, social activist Aires Rodrigues has fired another salvo. This time accusing the minister and his son of being involved in scuttling the Health Centre project at Ribandar.
In a statement released here, Rodrigues has said that that it was intriguing that Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik and his son Siddesh though being settlers in Ribandar for so many decades were circuitously opposing and subtly sabotaging the setting up of the proposed 30 bedded Health Centre at the Old Ribandar Hospital despite it being a unanimous demand of all.
Adv. Rodrigues said that Naik should realize that the common man depends on medical services provided by the Government and this is the reason why the setting up of a fully fledged Health Care Centre at the Old Ribandar hospital should be a priority.
Standing by the statements he made last week against Siddesh Shripad Naik and his father Ayush Minister Shripad Naik, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that if they feel defamed the only legal remedy for them is to move the Court under Section 499 read with Section 500 of Indian Penal Code which he would welcome.
Rodrigues has stated that the legal battle would be an opportunity to expose the organized corruption going on in the Ayush Ministry where contractors and suppliers meeting Union Ayush Minister Shripad Naik are directed to contact his son Siddesh Naik and negotiate.
Adv. Rodrigues has pointed out that besides the Corporation of the City of Panaji, the Panchayats of Chimbel, Merces, Old Goa and and the Panchayats of Sao Matias and Goltim-Navelim in Divar have all sent unanimously resolutions to the Government demanding the setting up of a full fledged Health Care centre at the Old Ribandar Hospital with round the clock medical facilities.
Stating that the Old Ribandar hospital was Asia’s first medical school established on 13th December 1867 having a very glorious history and a priceless heritage structure which needs to be preserved at all cost, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that to maintain the history of this hospital there is need of restoring a fully fledged State of the art medical centre at the Hospital with all possible health care facilities while a Yoga and Ayush research centre can go elsewhere.
