NT Reporter
Margao
Despite the cancellation of permission for the Goy Rakhonn Yatra, the Congress has said they will continue with the plan to
have their leader Rahul Gandhi’s participation on Sunday. Terming the yatra a grand success, the party said this success has caused worry for the BJP.
Speaking to media on Saturday at the party’s South Goa district office, GPCC president Girish Chodankar said, “When the announcement that Rahul Gandhi would be coming was made, the government realised that if he comes and walks through Cuncolim, it will have a lot of traction and will create issues for them. Now that he has confirmed he will be coming authorities have raised issues that we will be blocking the national highway. So far, our yatra has proceeded through national highway stretches and we made sure it didn’t cause inconvenience to people. Still the permission has
been cancelled.”
Chodankar said the initial plan was to take out the yatra from Bali to Cuncolim and then it was suggested from NIT to Cuncolim bus stand, but both were turned down. “This movement is to save Goa but it seems to be causing the BJP so much trouble. Now all this is being done with the help of some government officials. The permission was given and the minute they heard Rahul Gandhi’s name the permission gets cancelled. It is clear that they want to disrupt this yatra and stop Rahul Gandhi from coming. We have informed Rahul Gandhi of this development but he has said he will come and participate in the yatra,” Chodankar said.
Leader of Opposition and Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao said, “This is a dictatorial situation. The South Goa Collector had given us permission from the required traffic cells including from Cuncolim with guidelines. We have been abiding by the traffic rules. Suddenly when we announced Rahul Gandhi was coming we got the news that the permission would be cancelled.”
The plan now is for Gandhi to visit the Chieftains’ Memorial and walk to the Cuncolim bus stand. “He will pay homage and walk with us and I appeal to the people of Goa to come to Cuncolim; it will be a historic march. This government can’t silence our voices. This yatra has been a success because of the people and it shows that they are fed up with this government. This BJP government is on a ventilator only for another four months and Goa will have a new government,”
said Alemao.
