VASCO: Raising strong objections to dragging the name of ‘Niz Goenkar Fauz’ into the ongoing sweeping machine controversy in which Vasco police have filed an FIR against Vasco locals, the NGO members on Thursday alleged that the police complaint against their member is part of revenge politics being played by Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida.
Addressing a press conference in Vasco, Chandrashekar Vast, a member of Niz Goenkar Fauz clarified that on November 10 evening, he along with some Vasco locals had stopped the sweeping machine only to question the driver as to why the machine is not functioning properly, however diverting the issue and making false claims MLA Carlos Almeida instructed MPT to file a complaint against him and others. He said that since he extended support to Goa Against Coal (GAC) which is fighting against coal pollution in Vasco, the Vasco MLA got upset and is now trying to take revenge on him and members by falsely implicating in a police case.
“Recently, the Vasco MLA made false allegations against us that we assaulted the sweeping machine driver on the evening of November 10. In fact, we only had some discussion with the driver as to why the machine is not able to collect the dust from road and why MPT was trying to fool people. However, it was projected that we assaulted the driver which is false as people are witness to the incident. Also, if we had done such act then why MPT workers Union kept quite. Instead it was only after local Almeida instigated MPT to lodged formal complaint against us, the same was lodged after four days and that too after we first lodged a complaint before police,” Vast said.
“We strongly feel that our local MLA is trying to take revenge on us as we came out to support GAC in the ongoing protest against coal pollution in Vasco,” he said.
Another member of Niz Goenkar Fauz, Joao Felipe Pereira said, “We strongly object to the action of dragging our NGO into the controversy. I feel that someone is trying to play politics here as the complaint was lodged against Vast and others and not against NGO.”
