-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Wishing all Goanetters | | a Prosperous | | and | | Happy New Year - 2006 | | Goanet - http://www.goanet.org | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- At a massive meeting at the Lohia Maidan Margao the ex CM and Mormugao Parliamentary Constituency MP Mr Churchill Braz Alemao clarified on the sting operations.
It was at a Konkani cultural function held at Fr Agnel Hall New Delhi organised by the "Goenkarancho Ekvot" an NGO based in New Delhi under Chairperson Ms Suman Kurade, for which Mr Alemao donated Rs 15,000, and Mr Oscar Fernandes presided over that he met the journo Mr Mayabhushan Nagvekar a native of Priol Ponda Goa, now based in New Delhi. At that function Mr Alemao himself spoke of how Goans should preserve their identity. Later Mr Nagvekar applauded his speech and later made a request for funds under the MPLAD scheme for setting up a library for Konkani in Goa. Mr Alemao assured him that if the same falls within the purview of the scheme the same could be alloted but only in 2006, the project could materialise owing to other projects on hand and subject to the District Collector (South Goa ) who incidentally administers the same. The next ocassion the same reporter Mr Nagvekar came to him and insisted that a letter to that effect be made and given to him as an assurance. But Mr Alemao felt that if he could not be trusted than he was not interested. On another ocassion Mr Alemao asked Mr Nagvekar if he had obtained the land. When Mr Nagvekar replied in the negative he stated that he (Alemao) had a land which would be given at a low price but on condition that the Library would be in the name of Churchill Brothers at this juncture Mr Nagvekar agreed and offered to pay him Rs one lac but he refused to accept the money. In fact three of Mr Alemaos assistants M/s Raul, Daggar and Singh (who incidentally is a witness in the FIR filed by Mr Alemao in New Delhi was present on the dais today)were witness to this dealing and they were not in favour of the way Mr Nagvekar was pursuing the issue. However Mr Nagvekar took Mr Alemao aside in his bedroom and opened brief case containing the money which Mr Alemao refused. Mr Nagvekar is then alleged to have an altercation with Mr Daggar over the matter and he reportedly told Mr Daggar that the entire proceeding were recorded and he would blackmail him demanding two lacs. With this Mr Alemao later filed a FIR to confirm his non involvement. Later Mr Alemao spoke on the assurance given him by UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi that Dabolim airport would be developed and that the PM Dr Manmohan Singh had told him that if the Dabolim airport was shifted the economy would be paralysed. He stated that his confidence that Dabolim airport would be retained is because of the assurances of these two persons and not of the Party. As regards to the sting operation where he is alleged to have castigated the Goans and the Congress Party Mr Alemao clarified that he had put up a proposal for a train from Goa to Velankani in Tamil Nadu with the Union Minister for Railway Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav an MP of Bihar. To his surprise on the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Velankani in September 2005 Mr Alemao recieved a reply that the matter "is under consideration" this annoyed Mr Alemao and in this context Mr Alemao stated that his remarks that the Congress is run by Laloo and Baloos and Tamils was made. However in the sting operation aired on Star TV the news channel that implicated Mr Alemao he states that the same was doctored to give it a different meaning. Mr Alemao stated that the local daily the Gomantak Times was served a defamation notice and the same would be pursued to its logical conclusion. As regards Star TV the same would follow suit shortly. Mr Alemao reiterated that come what may Dabolim must stay and Mopa airport land acquisition under section 4 of the land Acquisition Act must be would up before the 26th January, 2006 or else the Government goes. Initially Mr Alemao stated that he started life as a seaman but continues to live in the same house unlike what a writer and ex President of Margao Municipal Council Mr Socarates Valmiki Faleiro who wrote of a MLA who started with an asset of a scooter without a stand but today in a self confessed statement claims to be the highest tax payer in the state. The reference was directed to Mr Luizinho Faleiro Minister for Industries and Education who is the godfather of his son. Mr Alemao also chided Mr Girish Chodankar ex MMC Councillor who had spoken against him following the sting operation. He also levelled charges against the Fatorda BJP MLA Mr Damu Naik who was a motorcycle pilot quizing him on how he could build a bungalow of Rs seven lac after being elected. This was because of the allegations made by Mr Damu Naik that the MP had favoured the Vice Chairman of the State Urban Development Agency SUDA Mr Vijay Sardessai a blue eyed aide of the Alemao's by granting funds for a road where a housing project of Mr Sardessai was expected. The others that Mr Alemao criticised was Mr Calvert of Colva. Mr Moti Dessai an office bearer of the Congress was also criticised by Mr Alemao stating that so long he is there the Congress would never be successful. Mr Alemao stated that he did not need such kind of money and sweared on the Gods that he would come clean off the sting operations (he removed a picture of our lady of Velankani from his top pocket and showed it to the crowd as a token of faith and belief in the deity) Mr Alemao stated that whenever he took up the cause of Goa and Goans he and his family became victims. At first his brother was detained under National Security Act. Later his brother was killed. Then he himself became a victim of COFEPOSA and was detained. During the Konkani agitation he went underground for a month and fifteen days. But later surfaced. Infact when the entire INC was ganged up against him Mr Alemao succeeded in getting Mr Radharao Gracias elected as an Independent candidate from Loutolim Constituency. That he was dedicated to the cause of Goans was amply seen when he became CM for just 19 days in that period he started the steamer service, he built the overhead bridge at Railway Gate Margao, the Tillari project steam rolled and therefore it would not be out of place for him to have the airport at Dabolim retained if the Party fails to do so. Earlier Mr Mathany Saldanha MLA Cortalim stated that Dabolim airport to him was not an emotive issue. He has been demanding for what is legally ours which owing to the ignorance of past politicians remained in the illegal possession of the Navy. He has documentary evidence which shown that the Portuguese built the aerodrome TAIP in 1957 and was ready in 1960 from where aircrafts flew via Karachi to Portugal. It was givien to the Navy at the time of Liberation for maintenance by the Indian navy and ought to have been returned. If the Navy wants the place for training it could go to its earlier choice of Silguri in Assam he stated. Therefore he felt that legally Dabolim airport should come back to Goa Government. Mr Saldanha also state that the growth of terrorist and terrorism in the world is owing to an insensitive politicians. Mr Radharao Gracias ex MLA Loutolim stated that Goa has had so many agitations after the fall of the BJP led coalition that today Goans have to fight against the same Government it elected. Three months ago it was the Town and Country Planning Ordinance issue and Planning Development Authorities -- planning areas inclusion of revenue villages which saw an agitation by the Deputy Speaker and Congress MLA ms Victoria Fernandes.Now it is the MOPA airport versus Dabolim airport. Even today on the dais of the several Zilla Parishad members ex and present and panchas from various villages nine or ten were of the ruling Congress thus there was an opposition within the Congress. Mr Gracias was surprised how his friend Mr Francisco (Micky) Pacheco of the NCP and his leader Dr Wilfred De Souza were quiet on the issue. While stating that Micky did attend the second meeting (earlier there were two meetings one at Margao and the other at Navelim on the issue) his absence at this meeting raised doubts. Incidentally it is the NCP civil aviation Union Minister Mr Praful Patel who clarified that the Dabolim airport would be closed once MOPA airport was commissioned and this document which was an Union Cabinet decision was responsible for Mr Alemao spearheading the agitation. Mr Gracias also alleged that the son-in-law of Dr Wilfred De Souza architect Mr Tulio D Souza has acquired land in Sindhudurga in Maharashtra a border district of Pernem where the MOPA is located. Mr Gracias was surprised that Mr Alemao was sticking to the Congress when he did not benefit anything from it. To add to his miseries thoug Mr Alemao helped others none of the politicians came to his rescue over the sting operations. Mr Gracias stated that if Mr Alemao had continued with the then Goa Congress or the United Goans Democratic Party he would have achieved much more than sufferings he has to encounter in the Congress. Mr Radharao Gracias also asked replying to a comment from the crowd why Mr Joaquim Alemao was absent at this meeting. Mr Gracias made it clear that the meeting was of the Goa Action Committee and not of Mr Alemao and therefore Mr Pacheco and others could share the dais. He threw a challenge to the Congress Party that if the partymen feel that Mr Alemao is at fault over the sting operation then they should expel him from the Party and he would see to his return back to power. In any event the Government stands forewarned it is either 26th January, 2006 or never the Land Acquisition proceedings must be removed. Mr Gracias finally stated that the culprit of the sting operations was Mr Luizinho Faleiro and stated that the same was carried out in four meetings and hence the suspicion unlike those 11 others who took pay offs on the second visit. Mr Mike Mehta who has never contested any elections thus far but has done much to arouse the sentiments of Goans by his tiatrs remarked that his tiatrs were a message to awaken Goans on the perils that await the land. He stated that Salcette was the bed rock of political agitations be it the Opinion Poll of 1967 the Konkani language agitation on 1985 the issue of State hood in 1986. Therefore support Dabolim and get elected or face imminent defeat was his clarion call to the audience. He criticised the planners and those supporting MOPA he mentioned that when the flight to Mumbai took an hour why should the Goans take 2 to four hours to reach their destinations. He stated that the Portuguese Government in its true wisdom had found Dabolim equisdistant from all corners of Goa and therefore there was no need to move to MOPA .. He ended with a caustic remark Goem vikhlem ghattar Ranek marlo konkar -- a diatribe against Mr Rane, the CM of Goa. Dr Francisco Colaco the eminent cardiologist from Near Holy Spirit Margao Goa stated in the shortest speech of the day that Mr Alemao was made the custodian of the Dabolim airport and it is for him to deliver the wishes of the people. For this remark he received the loudest applause from the audience. Mr Vijay Sardessai a one time Dr Willie De Souza favourite and now a Goa Pradesh Congress Committee member also the blue eyed boy of the Alemaos stated that sting operation showed that Mr Alemao had changed his safari suit for 4 ocassions clearly proving that it was an unsuccessful attempt. He said that Star TV had poor ratings among viewers and therefore such sting operations help to increase the status of the TV to attract commercial advertisements on which they survive. Mr Shantaram Naik had raised the issue of Dabolim airport and in reply the Union Minister confirmed that Dabolim airport would close if Mopa materialises. One tourist confirmed that while it takes 13 hrs from USA to Goa it would take 4 hours to reach South from Mopa.. Mr Sardessai also stated that land owned by the Deshprabhus was gifted by the Portuguese Governments. To earn a quick buck the modus operandi is to execute one Deed of Sale for a value of say Rs 2000/- per square metre and once this was done the Government if it acquired land would have to pay the market price as per the latest Deed of Sale. By this move the Deshprabhus would tend to get money for land that they may otherwise have to give their tenants or sell it at a throw away price. He alleged that several politicians have already purchased land. Many have realised with MOPA there would be a tourism boost to virgin beaches in Konkan region of Maharashtra. Mr Sardessai also pointed out how the Defence forces have occupied prime land in Panaji city for a garage when the same could well be used for the Corporation of City of Panaji Building. Mr Sardessai stated that the NCP Union Minister for Civil Aviation had as a birthday gift to his party Chief Mr Sharad Pawar Union Minister for Agriculture converted the Pune defence airfield to a civilian international airport with direct flights from Pune to Dubai and Singapore. If this be so it was easy for the NCP chief Dr Wilfred De Souza to demand shifting of the Naval forces to Sea Bird project at Karwar and open up the runway for four more runways . He stated that unless the Goans are aggressive they would not achieve anything. He cited the case where the truck terminus at Old market near the KTC bus stand was proposed. The land proceedings were initiated in 2000 the same acquired on 2004 and now in 2006 the people are agitating to throw it away. Mr Sardessai stated that now that the consultative committee on modernisation of airports have demanded of the Central Government to speed up its action of proividing funds Mr Alemao should demand 400 crores for the upgradation of the Dabolim airport immediately. Dr Wilfred Mesquita ex MLA VascodaGama stated that for four months the agitation is on but the land acquisition proceeding were not dropped. He also stated that people attributed various alibi to Churchills interest in Dabolim. Some stated that he wants to consolidate his position as MP others that he desires to be a Cabinet Minister . Mr Mesquita stated that the promise of a four lane road is wishful thinking given the fact that a less than 17 km Verna Mormugao Harbour four lane road has taken thus far 7 years but is yet to complete therefore a similar road from Pernem to Canacona could take 50 years when most of us will be dead and gone. Mr Floriano Lobo of Goa Suraj Party stated that even though CM Mr Rane had stated that Dabolim belongs to the Defence at the concluding session of the Gomant Vishwa Sammelan two days ago he reiterated that it is not the case as documentary evidence proves otherwise. Mr Bishut Theimudo ex ZP Member from Navelim Salcette that Dabolim had room enough for a four way runway and there could be an underground runway too once the Defence forces are shifted to Sea Bird project. Mr Sanjay Bandekar ex MLA Canacona was in full support of the Dabolim airport being an NRI himself once he was clear that MOPA would ruin his constituents for several tourist related jobs. Mr Ghanashyam Shirodkar Councillor Margao Municipal Council gave a clean chit to Mr Alemao stating that Mr Alemao had much more money and would not fall for such gimmicks. He stated that the sting operators should book those who had counting machines at their homes to count the illgotten wealth. Sidelights of the meeting a) the crowd was massive b) many of the MLA's present at the second meeting and other sat the first meeting were conspicious by their absence at this third meeting; c) there was a sattirical song by Mr William de Curtorim who blamed Mr Sardinha Mr Rane and Mr Luisinho Faleiro for giving a blanket sanction and NOC to MOPA during their tenure. d) there was musical warm up with a music band acommpaniment as the trio Anthony Avelino and Junior Rod regaled the audience before the meet on emotive Goan centric song e) a tiatrist from Borda ridiculed the fact that no stadium was named after famed Goan sportsmen but instead Pandit Jawaharlal's name was given to the Fatorda stadium and he demanded that the new auditorium at Fatorda should be named after late Joao Agostinho Fernandes referred to as Pai tiatrist (21.12.1871 to 29.8.1947) r/o (H No 306 Modsai Margao Goa next to late Chris Perry's house who was the pioneer dramatist playwright and founder of the Konkani stage in Mumbai then Bombay in 1892.) and castigated MLA Digamber Kamat for proposing to name it as Ravindra Bhavan sacarstically quizing him whether his mother was related to Rabindranath Tagore) f) most of the Saraswat Brahmin crowd was conspicuous by their absence, even the fiery speakers like Datta Naik Dr Arvind Bhatikar etc who otherwise are seen present at all such issues were not seen anywhere. g) most of the crowd was Cristao and those indulged in tourist related trades with several women of the Moslem community and non goans. h) since most of the politicians were ex MLAs or ex elected representatives an impression was gathered that their presence was only to ensure their staging a political comeback at the hustings i) with the sting operation one thing appear clear that Mr Alemao has his eyes on ruling the State rather than being at the Centre. This seems all the more certain given the fact that Mr Shantaram Naik the Rajya Sabha will have longer innings on top and with his legal acumen and past performance stands more prospects of gaining positions up there. Yesterday he was made a General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and made in charge of States of Tamil Nadu Kerala and Karnataka j) one thing appears certain that unseating the BJP led coalition last 27th January, 2005 by both Mr Radharao and Mr Alemao has only made them victims of the party they brought to power. Therefore there is a certain prospects of a new political formation being Goa centric even if it is a coalition. k) a write up by writer Constantino Hermanns Xavier based in New Delhi titled "Churchill Alemao: I will fight tooth and nail against Mopa and for Dabolim was distributed to all and sundry. The text of the same is available on the www.SuperGoa.com.htm from the Lohia Maidan end GODFREY J I GONSALVES BORDA MARGAO GOA. 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