URGENT PRESS STATEMENT
Today, Saturday, 21 January , over 1200 citizens/ community members
*'PROTEST MORCHA * entitled 'ROAD TO FREEDOM' marched to the BMC/ DMC
Office-R South Ward to protest the BMC notice to take part of the church
land. Handed over a MEMORANDUM to the DMC, Copy enclosed.
*Not an Inch of our Land will be given."* was our expression during the
meeting with DMC/AMC and other Civic Officials.
Today, We citizens/community walked in a Protest Morcha named ROAD TO
FREEDOM, to BMC R South office, situated at 2nd, cross Road, MG Road, near
swimming pool, Kandivali (W); to
protest against the unjust BMC's land acquisition Notice to Our Lady of
Remedy Church, Poinsur.
We presented the Memorandum to the DMC, copy of the same enclosed.
We expressed our deep anquish and disappointment at the lack of response
to
our letter of December 02, 2016 which left us with no choice but to
organise
this march. We urged the BMC authorities that they must be sensitive to
the
grievances of the citizens and atleast respond to their communications.
DMC/
AMC said they would do it.
We also emphasised the point that there was no point in taking the said
part
of the church land to broaden the Gamdevi Road which is off S.V. Road when
the Road just leads to a dead end. We demanded instead that the BMC must
concentrate on widening the S.V. Road right from Borivali to Malad which
is
not more than 57 feet to ease out the traffic. In fact the width at the
Remedy Church of the S.V. Road is the widest. . We are not against
development. the Remedy Church in the past has given land for public
causes
namely the Poinsur Bus Depot which belonged to the Church besides other
land
parcels around the church. We alleged that this so called road widening
was
only to benefit the builder. We also stated to him that we have been
targeted because we are a minority community. We thanked the DMC /BMC
for
provoking us to come out on the streets to agitate. We are no longer a
community that will take things lying down but will protest peacefully to
achieve our just demands.
The DMC who gave us a patient hearing stated that he would communicate our
grievances to the Municipal Commissioner.
While parting from the meeting, we again expressed our thoughts that any
attempt to take that parcel of land would leave us with no choice but to
protest more vigourously on the Road and the next step could be the
protest
at AZAD Maidan.
We would like to inform you that the community had organised similar
protests in the recent past, the prominent one being on 25th, December,
2016; being the day of CHRISTMAS, near Our Lady of Remedy Church. Prior to
this, on 18th, June, 2016; the community marched to BMC R South office.
Among those who were part of the delegation: Dolphy D'souza,
Spokesperson,
Save Our Land [SOUL], Rita D'sa, President- The Bombay Catholic
Sabha[BCS ],
Adv. Godfrey Pimenta , Trustee Watchdog Foundation, Ramsey Rebello,
Convenor- Guardians United, Lawrence Fernandes, VP-BCS and several others
This Protest Campaign was organised by The Bombay Catholic Sabha,
Guardians
United, Watchdog Foundation, and Save Our Land [SOUL]. We have enclosed a
few photographs.
We also thank the Sr. Inspector of Police, Shri Mukund Pawar of the
Kandivali Police Station and his team for their bandobast.
Thank you for your support to our cause and look forward to your
continuted
coverage of this issue.
warm regards
Dolphy A. D'souza
Cell: 09833884227
Spokesperson
Save Our Land [SOUL] Team
Mumbai 400 095.
-
