People disappointed as Modi skips Ponda meet

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-04-19
PONDA- A massive crowd which had gathered for the meeting of senior national Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi at the Vaishya Samaj Maidan, Ponda, on Saturday, were disappointed as Mr Modi could not make it.
Mr Modi had to skip the meeting, which was in support of the BJP candidate for South Goa, Mr Narendra Sawaikar, due to a technical snag in his aircraft at the Solapur air base. The announcement to this effect was made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar after which people did not seem to be interested in the meeting.
However, Mr Parrikar, during his address, was quick to assure that Mr Modi would be back in the state to address the people once again and urged the people to bear with them. As per the schedule, Mr Modi was supposed to arrive at 5.30 p.m. after a meeting in Maharashtra. People anxiously waited till 7.30 p.m. for his arrival and later started leaving the place after the announcement was made.
Earlier, speaking at the meet, Mr Sawaikar said that it was the right time for the BJP to regain power at the Centre. “Only BJP can provide full security to the nation,” he said adding that people from all over South Goa would opt for a change by voting for BJP.
Commenting on the postal controversy wherein police had seized the stamp of BJP from the post office at Ponda, he said, “We have a circular of the post office which says that it can be permitted to use it (the stamp) on the letters after paying the necessary fees to the post and that it was certainly within the rules of the post.
Mr Shripad Naik, the sitting MP who is contesting the North Goa seat, blamed Congress for the rise in prices of basic commodities. He predicted BJP’s victory at the Centre.
The Canacona MLA, Mr Vijay Pai Khot, said that police are puppets in the hands of the state’s Congress politicians and hence a lot of crimes take place in the state. He compared the crime rate with that of the BJP government adding that crimes were less during the Parrikar government rule.
The Fatorda MLA, Mr Damodar Naik urged the people to vote and support Mr Sawaikar. He alleged that a circular is being issued by “some people” labeling BJP as a communal party and said “the people of Ponda and South Goa are not fools to go by it.”
Others who spoke on the occasion included MLAs Mr Ramesh Tawadkar, Mr Prakash Velip and former MLA, Mr Rajendra Arlekar. Mr Vinay Tendulkar compered the programme. Tight police security was provided for the meeting.