PANAJI: While the flag hoisting at St Jacinto island created an uproar and chief minister Pramod Sawant threatened to come down with an iron fist on the “anti-India” villagers, a young naval lieutenant commander quietly met with the villagers on Saturday to find an amicable solution.
The officer, alone and without police protection, met the villagers at the entrance of the village and apologised for hurting the sentiments of the village due to the misunderstanding over Friday’s attempt to hoist the national flag on the tiny island.
There was a misunderstanding a few days back and we got agitated when strangers 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 anything happens to St Jacinto island, I will be the first person to stand for you,” said the officer while speaking to villagers at the entrance of the village.
The Indian Navy extended an olive branch to the locals and convinced them to participate in a joint flag hoisting ceremony on Saturday afternoon. The villagers in turn, invited naval personnel for their Independence Day celebrations on Sunday morning.
The islanders continued their annual tradition of unfurling the National Flag after the Mass to celebrate the feast of assumption of Mary. Naval personnel joined the villagers in the church square, showing solidarity with the village.
“There was a misunderstanding a few days back and we got agitated when strangers came to our village. In our agitation we sometimes react in the wrong way. We misunderstood when we saw the pick-axe and shovel in their (naval personnel) hands,” said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president for Goa Jose Philip D’Souza.
D’Souza, a former revenue minister, said that every citizen has a right and duty to hoist the National Flag. “There are some ministers, the chief minister too, who tried to create a divide,” said D’Souza, after the flag was unfurled.
Expecting trouble, the government had sent a police force to the island’s church square but the event was largely peaceful, though villagers remain upset after being branded anti-national by the state government.
“I have requested the Navy to go ahead with their original plan and have assured full cooperation from Goa Police. These attempts of anti-India activities shall be dealt with an iron fist,” Sawant had said on Friday.
Sawant made the statement after D’Souza and a few villagers claimed that the Navy’s attempt to hoist the flag was a ruse to “capture land on the island”.
