Goa polls: TMC tries to revive double-tracking stir

Times of India | 3 months ago | 24-01-2022 | 01:23 am

Panaji: Protesting against South Western Railway’s double-tracking project, TMC on Sunday urged locals to take a cue from the year-long anti-farm laws protest at Delhi’s borders and start a similar agitation in Goa. Invoking freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, TMC said that agitations and not discussions lead to change. Lok Sabha MP and TMC Goa in-charge Mahua Moitra joined Nuvem candidate Jose Raju Cabral on Sunday in meeting residents of Utorda and Majorda. Moitra said that the double-tracking project is being pushed through only for coal transportation and not for additional passenger trains. “We learnt from the recent past, in the last year, with the farmers’ agitation, where people stood on the ground, stood in tents, under the bare sun through winter, summer, rain and storm saying we will not move. Similarly, if a mass movement and people’s movement can be started against the double tracking, we can stop it.” The move to revive the protests comes at a time when Goa is less than a month away from electing new members to the legislative assembly. The TMC is keen to make a mark for itself in the state. Using the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji, Moitra said that locals and environmentalists need to emulate Bose.

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Trinamool Congress forms core & ad hoc committees in Goa

Times of India | 23 hours ago | 20-05-2022 | 01:19 am

Times of India

23 hours ago | 20-05-2022 | 01:19 am

Panaji: TMC formed an eight-member core committee for Goa along with a 50-member ad hoc committee of coordinators on Thursday who have been asked to strengthen and rebuild the party by September 1. The party has also asked its workers to prepare for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, an announcement that could complicate Congress’ efforts to retain the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. Former TMC state vice president Rajendra Kakodkar is the coordinator of the ad hoc core committee, which also includes the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Luizinho Faleiro, Antonio Clovis D’Costa, Dr Jorson Fernandes, Jagdish Bhobe, Samil Volvoikar and Mariano Rodrigues. “The forthcoming Lok Sabha and vidhan sabha elections are our current targets and we will bounce back in a strong and resilient manner,” said party’s Goa incharge, Kirti Azad. “Our leadership will take up local issues and bring to fore the problems of the people of Goa and pressurise the current government to deliver solutions.” Azad made the announcement at a press conference where he was accompanied by TMC national vice-president Faleiro and Kakodkar at the party office in Panaji. The cricketer-turned-politician said that the two committees have been asked to increase the membership and form new district and block committees over the next 100 days, after which a new state-level executive committee will be formed. Interestingly, former Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao and his daughter Valanka, who contested the assembly elections on TMC tickets, do not find mention in the two ad-hoc committees. When asked about Alemao’s role in the party, Azad said that the party has not been able to contact Alemao.

Archives dept to consult experts on razed temples

Times of India | 1 day ago | 19-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

1 day ago | 19-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Panaji: Minister for archives and archaeology Subhash Phal Dessai on Wednesday said his department would visit and inspect all historical temples in Goa and also consult with experts and historians to explore the feasibility of restoring those that were razed by the Portuguese. The minister, however, said that the Rs 20 crore allocated by the state government is meant for restoration of destroyed temples where no religious services are on. Phal Dessai’s remarks come a day after his cabinet colleague, power ministe Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar, claimed ‘shivlings’ may be buried under religious sites in Goa. “We will consult experts in the field and historians so that we understand the context. I will also be visiting some sites and if Dhavalikar also knows about such sites, he can inform the department so that we can take an appropriate decision,” said Phal Dessai. Meanwhile, TMC functionary Trajano D’Mello demanded that chief minister Pramod Sawant should clarify the state government’s stand on the issue and put an end to current attempts to create unrest. “The CM should endorse his minister Phal Dessai's decision and make a statement that will allay fears of certain sections of society,” he said. D’Mello further said Dhavalikar’s claims about ‘shivlings’ being buried under religious sites is an attempt to add fuel to the fire and divert the people’s attention. Amid the ongoing Gyanvapi mosque tensions in Uttar Pradesh, Dhavalikar had said on Tuesday that a survey needs to be conducted in Goa to examine whether ‘shivlings’ existed in temples razed by the Portuguese. He also said that temples that were destroyed need to be rebuilt. D’Mello said that Dhavalikar appeared to be contradicting his own statements made in December before the assembly elections. In December, the MGP MLA had said that the Portuguese themselves had rebuilt the destroyed temples during their rule.

Rome not built in day, next time will form govt: TMC

Times of India | 2 days ago | 18-05-2022 | 04:05 am

Times of India

2 days ago | 18-05-2022 | 04:05 am

Margao: Trinamool Congress Goa desk incharge Kirti Azad said on Tuesday that the party would form the government in Goa in the next five years following the next state assembly elections. Responding to queries posed by reporters over its dismal performance in the last state assembly elections, Azad exuded confidence of the party gaining strength in the state. “We are going to do it. Everything will be in place. Rome was not built in a day,” he said. Pointing out that the TMC polled 8.7% votes in the last elections, Azad said, that the party’s performance was “800 times better” than that of Congress and BJP in their first few elections in Goa. “If you compare it to what BJP did in the first three elections and what Congress did in the first four elections, you will find that we have done 800 times better than them. They couldn’t even get 1% vote share,” he said. Azad was appointed as its Goa desk incharge of the party after its state president Kiran Kandolkar as well as senior functionaries of the party resigned from their posts soon after the state assembly elections. When asked to comment on the exodus of party workers, Azad said, “Good riddance. I wish them all the best for what they have done. At least we know who stands with us. Those who are going to be with us are not opportunists.” The cricketer-turned politician, however, chose not to respond to questions over whether the TMC would back candidates in the upcoming panchayat polls.

Govt cannot tackle sex trafficking, passing buck to Centre, says TMC

Times of India | 1 week ago | 13-05-2022 | 01:19 am

Times of India

1 week ago | 13-05-2022 | 01:19 am

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant’s decision to approach Union home minister Amit Shah has proven the Goa government’s inability to control sex trafficking and prostitution in the state, TMC said here on Thursday. TMC’s Goa unit said that Sawant has abdicated his responsibility and has failed to protect the people of Goa. “The failure of the BJP government in Goa is yet again brought to the fore Sawant’s inability to address the issue of increasing sex trafficking in Goa,” TMC’s Goa state in-charge Kirti Azad said. Sawant held a meeting with NGO Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ) regarding sex trafficking during which he said that he will take up the issue with Shah during his next visit to New Delhi. Azad and former TMC vice-president Rajendra Kakodkar said that Sawant is passing the buck to the Centre instead of taking decisive steps to prevent prostitution in Goa. “Is it right for Sawant to pass the buck to the Union home minister for what is happening in the state? One wonders as to how Amit Shah sitting in Delhi is supposed to combat the issue of sex trafficking that is plaguing Goa,” Kakodkar said. “Goa TMC seeks accountability from the chief minister for the worsening condition of law and order in the state. It’s high time the chief minister takes stock of the situation,” Azad said.

TMC to announce ad hoc panel

Times of India | 1 week ago | 11-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

1 week ago | 11-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Panaji: TMC will announce an ad hoc state committee on Wednesday and is likely to form a core committee to take decisions for the party as it goes through a restructuring process. TMC’s Goa state in-charge Kirti Azad will announce the ad hoc committee, which insiders say, may have as many as 50-80 members. Azad is expected to leave Goa on Wednesday or Thursday and return after a fortnight. TMC MP Derek O’Brien has already left the state. The ad hoc state committee’s main task is to form the executive committee and identify a new state president by August end. The committee will also have to enrol newer members and appoint block presidents for each of the 40 constituencies. “The ad hoc committee will see Rajendra Kakodkar and Dr Jorson Fernandes playing a key role. Clovis Costa and Seoloa Vas are also expected to feature prominently in it,” a TMC insider said. When the TMC formed its state executive committee in January, it had announced a 69-member committee. However, after the assembly election debacle, the party has seen several exits and has been unable to attract more than 25-35 active members for review meetings. Meanwhile, TMC has criticised the state government for the delay in disbursing funds under the Griha Aadhaar and Laadli Laxmi schemes. “When the right is created for needy women to get Rs 1,500 per month under ‘Griha Aadhar’ and Rs 1 lakh under ‘Laadli Laxmi’, who are Pramod Sawant as chief minister and Vishwajeet Rane as women and child welfare minister to delay their rights? Around 19,471 Laadli Laxmi beneficiaries and 12,658 Griha Aadhar applications are pending for two years,” Azad said.

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