Panaji: Goa Forward Party’s youth wing – Goa Youth Forward – has asked Maharashtra politicians not to test the patience of Goans by making provoking statements.
“We have been reading series of statements by politicians from Maharashtra, first Kankavli MLA Nitesh Rane and after that Sindhudurg MP Vinayak Raut, over the current issue of stringent check of fish carrying vehicles on Goa borders by Food and Drugs Administration,” GYF President Raj Malik has said in a statement issued here.
“Both the politicians have tried to play inter-state politics in the matter, while Goa has always played a role of a good neighbour,” he said.
“We strongly condemn the act of politicians to threaten Goem and Goemkars. The statements like we will attack the vehicles with Goa number plate, if they ply inside Maharashtra border are unwarranted and smacks of political conspiracy,” Malik said.
“Goa Forward Party has been formed to keep the spirit of Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn. Goemkars are the core of our political ideology and there will be no compromise on it,” he added.
Malik said “Goemkars are always peace loving people. But that does not mean we are coward or can’t fight back. If we decide to fight back, the politicians like Nitesh Rane and Vinayak Raut will face defeats in their own constituencies and will not able to step in their own Sindhudurg, forget about Goa.”
“Goans and people from Konkan are living like brothers, but the politicians are trying to give political colour to the issue of fish. Goa government is dutybound to provide quality food to its people and FDA checks are to ensure that the fish is chemical free,” he added.
GYF has said Rane and Raut should first feel ashamed and resign from their positions on the grounds that they could not provide proper medical facilities in Konkan due to which 30 per cent of the patients in Goa Medical College and Hospital are from Maharashtra.
“Rane and Raut should also know that their fish catch fetches value only when it is sold in the market of Margao. Or else it has no value if it is only in Konkan. Both the politicians should first create market for their own product and provide proper value for the catch. They should not forget that the fishermen from Malvan, Devgad up to Ratnagiri are dependent on Goan fish market,” he added.
“Moreover, Rane should not forget that he has business interests in Goa in Tourism and Automobile sector. It will take only one day for us to shut down his own businesses, if he speaks the language of violence,” Malik said.
“Don’t challenge us when your existence is dependent on us. Even to catch a flight to go to his constituency, Rane has to use Goa Airport. Once again, understand that we are peace loving people but that does not mean we are helpless, coward or can’t fight back,” he said.
