PANJIM, NOV 1
National Highway Diversion Action Committee (NHDAC) today declared it will go ahead with its peaceful agitation even as the government imposed Section 144, which prohibits assembly of five or more persons and holding of public meetings, within 500 meters around the Secretariat complex at Porvorim and area under Panjim Police Station for 12 hours between 12 noon and midnight.
The orders came in light of the morcha scheduled by NHDAC, from Panjim to Porvorim, at 3 pm.
Condemning the development, NHDAC said it will not be cowed down by such impotent threats and will defy the illegal order by holding the public meeting at Azad Maidan as scheduled.
The NHDAC said it will protest against this gross violation of people’s fundamental democratic right.
“NHDAC appeals to the people of Goa to assemble at Azad Maidan on November 2, at 3 pm to protest against the expansion of NH4A and NH17 and to uphold our right to protest against this draconian order by the shameful government of Goa,” NHDAC convener Sunil Desai said at a hurriedly called press conference in the late evening.
On the imposition of Section 144, Desai said “the government is trying to stifle the voice of the people who are fighting for their right.”
“Our meeting is peaceful. We just wanted to gather at Azad Maidan and march to the Secretariat and submit a memorandum to the chief minister,” he said.
De Oscar Rebello, of the GBA fame, who too joined the protest, said that “the people of Goa have shown again and again that whatever wrong the government will do we will oppose it.”
“We are not against the highway but not at the cost of the people’s houses and livelihood,” he said urging people to gather in large numbers against what he termed as dictatorship of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.
BJP Spokesperson Govind Parvatkar said his party was totally with the NHDAC and the workers will join the meeting against the dictates of Congress-led government.
Earlier in the evening, District Magistrate Mihir Vardhan in the order said that the possibility of law and order issues cropping up cannot be ruled out.
He said that Superintendent of Police (North) has informed about the planned morcha which will begin at Azad Maidan and walk towards Porvorim Secretariat.
Quoting police report, Vardhan has predicted that large number of people is expected to join the morcha.
“The prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been enforced within 500 metres around the Secretariat Complex at Porvorim and area under Panjim Police Station for 12 hours between 12noon to 12-midnight,” he said.
Police officials said that whoever found contravening the order will be punished.
