The unjust, unwarranted handing over the case of alleged murder of BJP functionary Sonali Phogat to CBI after the deadly ultimatum by Hisar (Haryana) Mahapanchayat by the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant sent shivering and distressing signals that the Goa Police is incompetent, inefficient, not professional at all. At the same time he also delivered an alarming message that the Government succumbed to the threat of illegal Khap Mahapanchayat from Haryana. The government yielded to open threats that too by an illegal body and that too from outside Goa. To cover up, Dr Pramod said that “the case will be handed over to CBI due to continuous demand from the people of Haryana and Phogat’s daughter”.
It is for the first time that the Haryana people succeeded in dictating which agency should take over the investigations in the death of Phogat which occurred in Goa and which was being investigated by the local Goa Police. Then, why shouldn’t this new norm not be applicable to similar cases wherein Goans had demanded CBI intervention?
The case of Nachinola-based girl Sidhi Naik (registered as murder after 4-and-half months) wherein her body had washed ashore on the Calangute Beach on August 12, 2021, in mysterious circumstances is a fit case to be sadly brought to light once again, even as the Goa Police filed the closure report. Her death had rocked the State after her semi-nude body was found under mysterious circumstances at the Calangute beach. People in Goa had also staged an agitation demanding justice for the teenager. Some legislators had called for a CBI inquiry during the monsoon Assembly Session. But it was turned down.
Does it all imply that Goa now desperately needs a Khap Panchayat which could attain the status of Khap Mahapanchayat (for its ultimate big say in governance)? For that the present dispensation needs to provide official sanction as it has been done by Haryana Chief Minister. No doubt, the Hisar organisation proved to be very influential behind the move by the Goa Government, to hand over the police investigation to CBI as the ultimatum date of September 23 was approaching. Surely, at this stage, won’t it be very demoralising to the local police?
The new norm adopted by Dr Pramod Sawant needs to be also applied in similar cases as ultimately we live in a democracy.
There is a need to put the facts in proper perspective. It is a fact that Phogat’s family had decided to opt for a CBI inquiry, since they were not happy with the investigations being carried out by Goa Police. At this rate, one can allege that the Khap panchayat has emerged as a quasi-judicial body and that this is largely possible due to the involvement of top level politicians and vote-bank politics. These units are unlawful, unconstitutional but trying to dispense justice. There is no statute in law to establish the legality.
At times, khaps have unfortunately pronounced harsh punishments based on repressive and age-old customs and traditions, and this is what exactly needs to be eliminated or eradicated. Or are we now in Goa going back to such dark ages?
