Goa's Village Action Groups in Unity to SAVE & PROTECT our Motherland for FUTURE GENERATIONS !

"Village Groups of Goa" is an effort by the "People of Goa" represented from various affected villages due to the illegalities supported by the present Government led by our CM, which include illegal constructions on illegal sites by filling in agricultural lands and by cutting hills. Also, a representation from affected people due to wrong polices on employment and industrialization. Further more a representation from Goenchea Xetkarancho Ekvott (GXE), where peoples land are being converted for construction and mining purpose, Goa Federation of Mining Affected People (GOAMAP)- a collective of people of Goa affected due to exploitative mining in our hinterland villages! Its the start of truly a peoples movement without any political, religious or caste biases !

CM Digamber Kamat's refusal to Meet his People of Goa with his Statement "Did i demand for your votes?" and forced the Goa Police Brutality on us !

Finally Goa is rising in Action ! The day was 17th May, 2010. The call for the meeting was given by the grassroots Village Groups, who have been working for the past several years with little success at the village level. However understanding that inspite of all the effort that was being put for the past several years, the result was literally the same, however much requests and memorandum submitted to the government there were no result at all. The destruction of our motherland is at a devastating scale, right from front door i.e. the beach and river view properties till the back door the hinterland of Goa i.e. the devastation of our village livelihoods due to exploitative mining and thus destruction of the fertile lands and forests. It was felt for the past several years that our politicians are selling our own motherland for a song.

Thus with one objective in mind the call was given to gather at Blueberry Hills at Verna on 17th May, 2010 at 10 am. A crowd of over 300 people gathered, a representation of the various village groups from Salcette, Marmagoa and Goenchea Xettkarancho Ekvott. Various village level leaders spoke on the occasion, including renowned tiatrist Prince Jacob, Dr.Varun Carvalho sang a verse "Amchem Goa" from his latest music album "GOTTA GO HOME". Later, as the sun was scorching overhead, since it was a day of Public Grievance Readdressal Day at the CM's office in Panjim, we proceeded to his assembly complex office.

As we arrived at the assembly complex at about 12.25 pm in the scorching sun, a few people who had traveled by bus were refused entry in the assembly complex and were kept out, however people who went on their own on bikes and cars were lucky to enter in.

So, later as we gather at the CM entrance the security refused to take us in, since the CM himself refused to meet us. However after much attempts, he allowed 6 people to meet him in his cabin. As the five women and a man entered inside his cabin, the press was kept out. As we started to request him about the pending demands for the past several months on illegal construction, illegal hill cutting, illegal mining, on garbage disposal, etc he just point blank refused stating we have come without appointment, to this one among us question him “While you’ll come to ask for votes do you’ll come with an appointment” to this the CM Digamber Kamat Replied “Did I demand votes from you?”. It was a feeling that how can a elected representative be so ungrateful towards his citizens. Still further we request him to come and meet the people outside if at all he was feeling insecure inside his cabin with so many people. Again he refused and we agreed to move out. Also in the background there were another 3 elected representatives Mr.Subhash Shirodkar, Reginald Lourence and Mr.Dhavlikar. Later as we moved out being heard Mr.Dhavlikar threw a tantrum, making us feel cheap for being refused to hear us.

As, we came out our other people we anxious to know if the CM has accepted the demands, but as we shared his statement “Did I demand votes from you?”, they were all shocked to understand his words and we started to shout slogans! To this the CM ordered the Goa Armed Police be pressed and the whole group of 30 people be arrested, so they initially requested us to get in the bus, however some people panicked for the arrest treatment for being non-violent, for expressing our freedom of expressions. This panic and refused to surrender for arrest for no reason was non-accepted by us. However at this point most of the people were in the bus to be taken to the Porvorim police station for arrest, however two ladies refused, one on health ground. However the police used brutal force on us, PI Devendra Gad attacked a lady in our group she was defending to evade the unreasonable arrest, to this a boy who was among the group went for her rescue to which the SP Deu Banaulikar and PI Gad reacted violently and pushed him inside the police jeep, however he refused, for being singled out in the jeep just because PI Devendra Gad had a personal grudge since the boy went for the victimized lady’s rescue.

Later, all of us were forced to get into the Porvorim Police lock-up for which we could not reason out the reason. Our own elected representative who refused to meet us and hear our demands. The question arises in our mind – why is the CM so frightful of his own people? The question again arises in our mind is he a capable leader to lead the state of Goa?