As announced, the villagers of Candolim under the dynamic leadership of Candolim youth organized a Rally followed by a Public Meeting held at the Candolim Tinto in the presence of a large number of villagers, all coming from all over the village and belonging to all segments of the society. The Rally started at 10.30 AM from Candolim Health Center and ended at the Tinto for the Meeting which was addressed among others by Mr. Edwin of NGO Human Rights Defenders, Mr. Prakash of NGO Pilerne Citizens Forum, Mr. Benedicto Pinto, Ruskin and Damaciano who in their speeches highlighted the arrogance and “dadagiri” of the Migrant Labourers in dealing with the locals.
Rally in progress
According to the official rates every migrant has to charge Rs 250/- per day for doing the labourer’s work but these migrants are charging even Rs 800/- per day and on top of it doing dadagiri with the locals. Some of them are demanding accompaniment of 2 labourers for one man’s job thereby incurring heavy financial burden on the locals.
People gathered for the Meet.
In their speeches, all the speakers especially Edwin and Prakash demanded from Goa government and especially from the Labour Minister for whom the organizers have already submitted their memorandum of demands, to streamline the daily wages of the migrant labourers with the instruction to follow these wages very rigidly. They have also requested the government to display the Wage Rates at the strategic locations not only in Candolim but also all over Goa. Mr. Prakash in his hard hitting speech demanded action from the government on this issue within the next 10 days failing which this campaign will be spread all over Goa.
Edwin seen addressing the Meet
On 19thDecember 1961 Goa was not liberated but conquered as per the Supreme Court judgment. Going a step forward, I can rightly say now that Goa is now invaded by the Non-Goan Migrants and to tackle them is not easy even though to tackle the Portuguese was easy For this reason, every village must form a group to handle the menace of Migrants and all these village groups must federate into a Federation with common aim.
Prakash seen addressing the Meet
Though most of the locals attended the Rally and the Meet but none from the elected representatives; nether present nor ex. This shows how much they love such issues of public importance. Next elections are approaching fast and the locals must not forget the non-cooperation of all these representatives. They may be expecting especial invitations from the organizers. If yes, then why? Are they Heavenly creatures? Their regimes are only temporary and surely most of them will be thrown out in the next elections. They should know that they are public servants and not masters. They must stop acting like Maharajas.
While concluding, it is my sincere request to every village in Goa to form such organization as Candolim did to combat the dadagiri of migrants otherwise they will strip us to nude because the quality of migrants in Goa is very low. They are selfish and cruel.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim,
Goa.