In meetings with activists and NGOs, Rahul Gandhi seeks support for Congress

PANAJI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi held a series of meetings on Saturday where he interacted with a delegation of mining dependants, representatives of the fishing community and environmental activists. Prior to his departure for Karnataka, Gandhi sought the support of the various associations at the coming Lok Sabha elections, and assured representatives that Congress would address their concerns.
Gandhi arrived in Goa on Friday and held a booth workers meeting at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium. Though he was scheduled to meet NGOs and MLAs after the event, the interaction was rescheduled to Saturday.

“Gandhi assured us that once voted to power, Congress would create a separate ministry for fisheries and fishermen’s welfare to do justice to the sector,” vice-chairperson of the National Fisherworkers’ Forum, Olencio Simoes, said.

The fishing community also demanded that the CRZ Notification 2019 be repealed, describing it as detrimental to the community. Simoes, who contested the 2017 assembly elections as an Aam Aadmi Party candidate, stopped short of voicing support to Congress.

“We are giving our demands to all political parties, and whichever party includes our demands in their manifesto and gives us strong assurances, will get our support,” Simoes said.

Gandhi also met environmental activists and those affected due to pollution created by the handling of coal at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco. Goencho Avaaz co-convenor Viriato Fernandes and Sherwyn Correa met Gandhi and submitted memorandums against the national waterways project and coal-handling at MPT. “We told him that as a confidence-building measure, we want a categorical statement on the return of the six rivers that have been clandestinely handed over to the Centre. That will give us confidence that Congress is willing to walk the talk,” Fernandes said.

Gandhi also met representatives of the United Goans Foundation (UGF) and urged them to play a larger role in the state’s political scenario. “A lot of events have unfolded and we feel that while we have been activists for the past 3-4 years, we will need to contribute positively as far as Goa’s politics is concerned. His (Gandhi’s) suggestion was that good people should enter politics and that is exactly what we are taking from here,” UGF president Aashish Kamat, said.