Tuesday 9 July 2013

People of Tiracol coming together means everything to save Mulnivasi land



Bharat Mukti Morcha congratulates Tiracol villagers for their uncompromising stand on opposition to golf course and the land grab. The villagers are united the banner of St.Anthony Tenant and Mundcar Association.

According to the information received from Tiracol promoter of Leading hotels ltd Sandeep Ganguly who is hell bent on taking over land of Tiracol people to set up golf course had a meeting with the villagers two days ago. He had recently stirred up storm in the State of Goa by declaring to the press that he would start up the work on golf course in Tiracol from October 2013 onwards. Local group of mulnivasis organised as St.Anthony Tenants and Mundkar Association had waged strong criticism on this as it involved taking over of large track of lands for the project. Already the State administration has been transformed into bamon raj institution and 55 mulnivasi families of Tiracol has been stripped off their land titles.

Sandeep Ganguly had called for the meeting in respect of buying up of land for Golf Course in Tiracol. According to the reports published in Marathi daily Goa doot (9th July 2013) Sandeep Ganguly promised that he will give up the desire to buy up the land of the members of the St.Anthony Tenant and Mundkar Association.  Members of the Association then asked Ganguly to give this in writing. Ganguly refused on the spot saying that he has to take legal advise before giving anything in writing.

According to the published reports Leading hotels has captured 1 lakh 75 thousand square meters of land in Tiracol but it is not in possession of the company due to the fierce opposition of the villagers. The hidden motive behind  this meeting few days ago was to initiate truce with the villagers in uproar so that company can take possession of the land.

Villagers of Tiracol belonging to St.Anthony Tenant and Mundcar Association retorted to Ganguly that in case he is serious about returning the captured land back to the villagers then he must first get the respective government officers involved in the matter.

Ganguly’s assertion that he will change the nature of the project in the face of opposition from the villagers came up for criticism as this means Ganguly is merely fooling the public of Tiracol as he has no real intention to returned captured land back to the Tiracol villagers.

Villagers refused to accepts any of the propositions of Ganguly till he does not withraw all the cases filed against them in Mamlatdar’s court and legally return back their land. Further villagers declared that no company official will be allowed entry into the village till the cases against them are withdrawn.

According to the reports in press local catholic priest Fr. Teo Jose Fernandes has declared his support to the agitating villagers two days ago. He declared that under circumstance of gravest risks Tiracol must be saved from the company preying on Tiracol.  Press report also observes that earlier priest in Tiracol was openly lobbying for the company and was pressurizing the Tiracol villagers to sell their land to the company wanting to set up golf course.

The earlier Catholic Priest Fr.Rocklyn D’costa compromised with the company and accepted lakhs of rupees and caused grave set back to the people agitating to protect Tiracol. Presently he is at Holy Trinity Parish Church, Benualim as a Parish Priest. Be aware people of Benaulim when such a person is serving a parish consisting of 5,550 parishioners. Tiracol was just 200 parishioners.

Bharat Mukti Morcha congratulates Fr. Teo Jose Fernades for standing up in defense of Tiracol. Already battle against another golf course is ongoing in Vanxim, Tiswadi where Bamon Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao himself sold Vanxim and Court cases are going on in Deputy collector’s court, Mamlatdar’s court and Administrative Tribunal Court to strip mulnivasis of their tenancy rights.  Both these projects are the projects of Bamon raj to take away control of land from mulnivasis.

People of Tiracol has set a good example - even though they are few in numbers – for the rest of Goa by coming forward to save Tiracol.

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