Mandovi, Zuari river bridges be named after Bandodkar, Sequeira: Goa-Cong
What's the story
The Goa Congress has demanded that the upcoming bridges on the Mandovi and Zuari rivers be named after the state's first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar and iconic leader Dr Jack Sequeira. The party sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday urging him to consider the demand of naming the bridges after the two late leaders from the state.
Plans
Goa government, Center jointly constructing bridges; Mandovi bridge inauguration tomorrow
Goa government and the Center are jointly constructing these bridges. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to inaugurate the third bridge over Mandovi river tomorrow. "The third bridge over Mandovi would be thrown open to traffic very soon. Another bridge over river Zuari may take a year or two to complete," Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Girish Chodankar wrote to Modi.
Quote
'Bridges over rivers signify joining of two separate entities'
"The bridges over rivers and other water bodies signify joining of two separate entities. Naming them (these new bridges) after eminent Goans of yesteryears would be the perfect bridge for Goans connecting to their past and help future generations remember the history," Chodankar said.
Details
Chodankar's letter to PM explains the reason for this request
"As the clamour grows over naming the bridges after eminent Goans, who've during their lifetime contributed to the greatness of our state and our country, two such eminent Goans stand out," Chodankar's letter read. They are late Dayanand Bandodkar, Goa's first Chief Minister and late Dr. Jack de Sequeira, father of Goa's opinion poll that helped the state retain its identity, the letter added.
Letter
Our urge reflects the popular sentiments of Goans, asserts Congress
"We would like to assert that our urge reflects the popular sentiments of Goans...Naming bridges after them will also give these pioneers of Goa due recognition, which we owe to them. Your step would be well appreciated by every Goemkar (Goans)," Chodankar said in the letter. The party, however, refrained from specifying whose name should be given to which bridge.
Information
Bandodkar is Goa's first CM; Sequeira first Leader of Opposition
Bandodkar was the first CM of Goa after the Liberation from Portuguese rule, while Sequeira was the first Leader of Opposition who also spearheaded the movement to save Goa from being merged into Maharashtra during the historic 1967 opinion poll.