PANAJI: While the lifting of the flag on St Jacinto Island creates a commotion and the chairman of the Minister of Pramod Sawant threaten to fall with a fist in the village of “Anti-India”, a naval Lieutenant Commander who secretly met the villagers on Saturday to find a peaceful solution .
Officers, alone and without police protection, met villagers at the village entrance and apologized for hurting village sentiments due to misunderstandings for Friday’s efforts to lift the national flag on a small island.
There was a misunderstanding a few days ago and we were nervous when foreigners came to our village.
In our agitation, we sometimes react in the wrong way.
“I am here to give my life for you.
The first person, if something happens to St Jacinto Island, I will be the first person to support you,” said officer while speaking to the villagers at the village entrance.
The Indian Navy extends the olive branch to the local residents and convinced them to participate in a joint flag lifting ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
The villagers in turn, invited naval personnel to their independence day celebration on Sunday morning.
The archipelago continued their annual tradition unfurled a national flag after the masses celebrated the assumption party of Maria.
Navy personnel join villagers in the Church Square, show solidarity with the village.
“There was a misunderstanding a few days ago and we were nervous when strangers came to our village.
In our agitation, we sometimes react in the wrong way.
We misunderstood when we saw pick-ax and shovel in their hands (naval personnel), “The President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for Goa Jose Philip D’Souza.
D’Souza, former income minister, said that every citizen has the right and task to lift the national flag.
“There are some ministers, the main minister, who tried to create a gap,” said D’Souza, after the flag was opened.
Expecting a problem, the government has sent the police to the island church square but this event was mostly peaceful, even though the villagers remained annoyed after the anti-national branded by the state government.
“I have asked the Navy to continue their initial plans and have convinced the full cooperation of Goa Police.
The efforts of this anti-India will be handled with iron fist,” Sawant said on Friday.
Sawant made a statement after D’Souza and several villagers claimed that the Naval’s efforts to lift the flag were deception to “catch land on the island”.