Team Herald
PERNEM: Pernem Congress Committee has condemned the use of lathi-charge against the villagers of Tulaskarwadi, Nagzar and Sukekolan, who are objecting to the proposed link road through their agricultural fields. The committee has urged Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to give up his ‘dictatorial attitude’ and show some guts by directly speaking to the villagers.
“The people of Goa will never forgive this corrupt and insensitive BJP government for using lathi-charge concept against Shel-Melauli villagers, who were protesting against IIT in their village and now at Mopa-Dhargal”, Vithu Morajkar, spokesperson of GPCC said.
“People agitated against the anti-people policies of this government. But rather than having discussions with the protestors, the government is trying to suppress their voice. First it was at Shel Melauli and now in Pernem. The Congress will not allow this ‘corrupt’ BJP government to sell Goa to crony capitalists,” Morajkar vowed.
“Police lathi-charged the elderly women at Shel-Melauli and also repeated the same at Pernem. The land through which the link road is passing, it is the only source of living for these people. There are cashew plantations and other fruit bearing trees on this land, which will be destroyed. Development is needed, but not by damaging the source of income of the villagers and destroying our environment,” Morajkar said.
“The ’brainless’ Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant should show courage and speak to the protestors and know their grievances instead of using lathi charge. Sawant has become a dictator. He gives directions to the police and then they obey the same. Police should use their energy in solving crimes and reduce the crime ratio,” Morajkar demanded.
The Congress demanded that FIRs lodged against the protestors be withdrawn.