The ‘Maad Yatra’ (Coconut March) that began from Pernem in north Goa on Sunday swore not only to save the coconut tree but also to “topple” the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance in the next Assembly election in 2017.
The procession was initiated by Opposition parties, Independents, civil society groups and others to protest against a recent amendment passed by the BJP government in the Assembly to delist the coconut tree from the Goa Daman and Diu Preservation of Trees Act. The government had justified the amendment saying it was farmer-friendly.
The rally at Pernem appealed to the people to defeat the BJP and its allies in the next election.
Leaders of the newly formed Goa Forward Party took the initiative while local Congress leaders from Pernem and Independent MLAs Vijay Sardesai and Rohan Khavtye, who were opposed to the government, participated in the march.
Mr Sardesai warned the ruling party against creating a north-south divide in Goa over issues of public concern.
He exuded confidence that the march would unite all Goans under a banner.
Mr Khavtye wondered the motive behind the BJP government imposing anti-people bills such as Mundkar bill and Coconut bill, which people never asked for.
President of the Goa Forward Party Prabhakar Timble assured the people of Pernem taluk that getting compensation to the people who lost their land for the upcoming Mopa airport would be the priority of his party.
The yatra began from Dhargal and culminated by paying homage to the martyrs at the martyrs’ memorial at Patradevi.
The Opposition is out to rally anti-BJP forces around the ‘save coconut tree’ campaign.
