PANJIM: It was midnight drama on the intervening night of October 2 to 3, soon after Union Minister for Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Prakash Javdekar, landed in Goa, as Congress workers protested in the lobby of a city resort demanding a meeting with him on environment issues plaguing the State.
A delegation of 16 to 18 Congressmen, led by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee vice president Sankalp Amonkar and Goa Pradesh Youth Committee president Varad Mardolkar sought to meet Javdekar to question him on the government’s betrayal over Karnataka’s diversion of waters of River Mhadei.
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Their abrupt entry into the resort, during the late hours and shouting slogans like ‘Javdekar go back’, sent Panjim police rushing to the location and take them into custody.
Sixteen protestors were arrested under Section 151 (preventive arrest) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and shifted to the police station.
“No prior permission was obtained from the authorities for holding a protest. Moreover, their sudden entry into the resort during the odd timing was unlawful since it was a threat to the security of all guests, including VIPs,” a police officer told Herald.
The high-voltage drama continued on Saturday when GPCC president Girish Chodankar threatened to protest outside the police station if his party colleagues were not released. Enraged by the arrests, Congressmen also burnt an effigy of Javdekar outside the Congress party head office.
After spending the night in lock-up, police produced all those arrested before the sub divisional magistrate. During the brief hearing, Panjim police objected to the manner in which the protest was undertaken. The arrested Congressmen were released on condition of not resorting to nuisances and reporting before their respective police stations on Sunday between 9am and 12 noon and 2pm and 5pm.
Police security in and around the resort has since then been heightened. “It was a sleepless night for all the policemen and officers to ensure law and order situation does not turn tense,” the officer said.
