People brave rain, hold protest at sacred location
Ponda: Braving incessant rain, hundreds of people, including locals, devotees and activists, gathered at the sacred Katamgal Dada Devasthan in Farmagudi on Sunday expressing their opposition to the setting up of a permanent campus of IIT Goa around the site, which has already been given a green signal by the Centre.
The rain failed to dampen the spirit of the protestors, who offered traditional garane prayers at the Devasthan and vowed to protect what they believe is not merely a place of worship but the spiritual heart of the area. The protest, organised under the Save Katamgal Campaign, marked the beginning of a people’s movement against the proposed permanent campus in Farmagudi.
The IIT project has been opposed wherever it was proposed to be set up for around 10 years – Loliem, Melauli, Cotarli, Keri and most recently at Codar.
IIT Goa temporarily functions from Goa College of Engineering in Farmagudi.
The project would disturb the sanctity of the shrine, destroy the mango grove surrounding the place of worship and alter the centuries-old religious and cultural landscape, the protestors said.
They sought blessings of the deity for the protection of their ‘dev bhoomi’, while slogans of “Aamka Naaka IIT” echoed across the Devasthan premises.
The protest drew support from activists and other people from different parts of Goa despite the downpour.
The protest came on the heels of the Union Education Ministry approving the Farmagudi site for a permanent IIT campus and the state cabinet sanctioning the transfer of nearly five lakh square metres of government land for the project.
However, for the protestors the issue extends far beyond the land. They insisted that the agitation is for protecting a sacred heritage, preserving the ‘traditional pathway’ of the deity and safeguarding the spiritual identity of Farmagudi.
Extending his support to the agitation, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar assured the protestors that he would stand with them until the project is withdrawn.
Borkar said he would pursue the matter through official correspondence and support every legal effort of villagers.
“Sentiments of the local people and devotees must be respected,” the MLA said.
Social activist Gurudas Naik appealed to people to unite to safeguard the shrine, adding that the movement was about preserving faith, culture and heritage for posterity.
Announcing the launch of a signature campaign, Naik said the agitation would be carried out through democratic and legal means. He recalled that the local MLA, the sarpanch and panch members had assured devotees that the IIT project would not obstruct the traditional pathway of Katamgal Dada.
Among those who participated in the protest were activists Manisha Usgaonkar, Rama Kankonkar, Shankar Polji, Ponda municipality councillor Venkatesh (Dada) Naik and Goa’s only Naga Sadhu.
