Margao: Much close to his heart, the Opinion Poll Day, made Goa Forward Party President and TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai think more than being just a minister.
Sardesai on Wednesday warned his own government of a backlash from the people, if the controversial circular about Indian Navy is not withdrawn by District Administration.
South Goa District Administration had issued circular last year making it mandatory for all the constructions within 20 kms radius of Goa Airport to seek No Objection Certificate from Indian Navy.
The lone Airport located at Vasco is a part of INS Hansa, a Naval base.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Opinion Poll Day in South Goa’s Margao town, Sardesai said that if circular is not withdraw by District Collector within seven days, then government will have to be ready to face a backlash.
He pointed out that District Collector who had issued the circular has been transferred and new officer has taken over the charge.
“I am cautioning the government. New District Collector has been appointed. Within seven days he should give clarification on the Order given by his predecessor,” the minister said.
“If this circular making it mandatory to have NOC from Indian Navy for the constructions within 20 kms radius of the Airport is not withdrawn, then State government should be ready to face the backlash from the people,” he said.
Sardesai clarified that he has no objection for creating funnel zone, an aerial path which is used by the flight while landing.
The minister rued that the Opposition Party which is supposed to object for such circulars is dormant, due to which he has to take up the issues despite being part of the government.
He said that there is no use of celebrating our unique identity on Opinion Poll Day, when we have to surrender it (identity) to the dictates like the one given through the circular.
“ Our identity is everything. Why does Brand Goa sells? Sunburn (EDM festival) clicks in Goa but not in Pune. This is due to a benefit of brand Goa,” the minister said.
Sardesai lamented that Opinion Poll Day is not celebrated on the scale, it should have been done considering its importance for current Goa.
“If we had to merge with Maharashtra, we would have been just one of the district of that State,” he said.
The minister said that Goa has developed so much since the Opinion Poll (held in the year 1967), that if now “if similar poll is taken in Maharashtra, people from there would vote to merge Maharashtra into Goa.”
“We have progressed so much,” he added.
Pointing out that National commission on population has said that Goa has best quality of life, Sardesai said that the coastal state is different not just in terms of history but in all other aspects too.
He said that Goa Opinion Poll was “the only referendum in the modern history of India.”
