Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Feb 23: Bishop of Mangalore diocese Dr Peter Paul Saldanha on Sunday February 23 inaugurated a memorial erected in honour of former union minister and Padma Vibhushan awardee, the late George Fernandes, at Bejai church cementry here.

Addressing the gathering after blessing the memorial, bishop Saldanha said, "The late George Fernandes stood with taximen and united them. We appreciate the government for conferring Padma Vibhushan on him. He always worked towards achieving his dreams and fulfulled them. He moved to Mumbai to achieve something in life and work for the people."

Recalling the work done for the people by the late minister, the bishop said, "George Fernandes proved the power of democracy. He started the Konkan railway project. He could understand the pulse of the people and earned important positions in the cabinet. He was the voice of the voiceless and strength of the weak."

Brother of George Fernandes, Micheal Fernandes said, "I thank everyone involved for making this memorial for George Fernandes possible. I urge everyone to take his one work forward - in the year he formed a cooperative society which is now a bank and has Rs 2,000 crore worth of transactions and over 30 branches in and around Mumbai. I urge that it sets up a branch in Bejai in his memory."

George Fernandes was elected nine times as the member of Lok Sabha and once for Rajya Sabha. The credit for establishing the Bombay Labour Cooperative Bank in Maharashtra goes to him.

Fernandes fell victim to Alzheimer's syndrome and breathed his last at the age of 88 on January 29, 2019. Recognizing his service to the poor and the downtrodden, labourers, social work, journalist and as a seasoned politician, the government of India conferred the Padma Vibhushan Award on him. A tomb has now been erected in the birth place of George Fernandes under the initiative of Bejai church with an attempt to commemorate his achievements. A memorial has been erected on his mortal remains, according to his religious customs.

Assistant parish priest Fr Pramod Crasta, Fr Robert D Souza, Bejai parish pastoral council vice-president Francis Ashok Pinto, secretary Preethi Gomes and corporator Lancelot Pinto, Bejai Parish pastrol council member Vincent, former MLA J R Lobo, corporator Shashidhar Hegde, MLC Ivan D'Souza, corporator Sudhir Shetty and others were present.

Robin Cutinha compered the programme, corporator Lancelot Pinto proposed the vote of thanks, and Bejai church parish preist Fr Wilson Vitus D'Souza welcomed the gathering.