CUNCOLIM (GOA)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa paid floral tributes to Opinion Poll leader late Shabhu Desai at his memorial in Cuncolim on Tuesday, Jan 16, commemorated as Opinion Poll Day.
Prominent local leader & opinion poll activist Manohar Desai garlanded the statue in the presence of AAP State convener Elvis Gomes, who hails from Cuncolim. A number of villagers, party leaders & supporters were present on the occasion.
Gomes in his short address called upon the people to unite to fight growing fascism in the State while mincing no words in attacking the Government for not listening to the voice of the people.
“For the present dispensation and the players therein, it would be prudent to follow the legacy of erstwhile leaders like Shabhu Desai for the courageous work they did to save Goa and its identity. It should not only acknowledge the vision these leaders had for Goa but also dare to tell Goa and its people what vision the present dispensation has for the welfare of the state,” said Gomes.
Gomes further said that within few years, the BJP, Congress and their combine had successfully converted Goa into a full-fledged party zone where except the common man, all mafias like casinos, drugs and criminals were safe and prospering.
“That is why the time has come to seek forgiveness from these leaders and also from generations to come as we would not be able to hand over a Goa which we had inherited but will pass on a devastated form of Goa devoid of its uniqueness,” said Gomes.
Manohar Desai in his address lambasted the government for forgetting the contribution of the son of Cuncolim Shabhu Desai.
“Iam happy that our son Elvis and his party remembered Shabhu’s contribution to the opinion poll & paid him respects. For me and many of my Cuncolim brethren, this memorial is a sacred place and we are touched by the AAP gesture. I am feeling privileged to be given the opportunity to garland the statue,” Desai said.
A number of villagers present on the occasion also spoke. It may be recalled that AAP while coining the Opinion Poll day as Bhogsonneacho Dis, had paid floral tributes to Dr Jack Sequeira, father of opinion poll, at Dona Paula, on the eve of Opinion Poll day.
