Team Herald
PONDA: The Apewal family, for shutting down whose liquor shop four locals have threatened self immolation, on Sunday alleged that it is being harassed and targeted for selfish motives by the foursome.
Addressing the media, Victorina Pareira and her two sons alleged that, since last one year, they are being harassed and targeted by a group of villagers for selfish motives, claiming that her (Victorina’s) licenced liquor shop is illegal and is disturbing social peace.
Apewal is a ward in Veling Priol Cuncoliem Panchayat. And recently, four villagers led by a local Anup Desai threatened that they would commit self immolation in front of the panchayat house, if the liquor shop of Victorina Pareira is not shut down immediately. Following this threat, the Sarpanch Laxmikant Khedekar filed a police complaint against the four persons for causing him undue pressure in discharging his duties. The police warned the foursome for holding out such threat.
Khedekar had informed the police that the panchyat is handling the issue as per legal provisions and it can’t revoke the NOC to liquor shop suddenly to satisfy demand of the four villagers.
Meanwhile, rejecting the claim of the four villagers that her liquor shop is illegal, Victorina produced the licence obtained from the Excise Department for running her liquor shop.
“There are 44 liquor shops in village, but only my shop is being targeted for allegedly disturbing social peace,” she said and challenged the agitating villagers to move the court for cancelling her licence rather than threatening self immolation.
Her son Nixon Pareira said that his family is in the liquor business since the time of the Portuguese and that they opened the liquor shop around a year ago after obtaining all permissions and licences.
Nixon alleged that Anup Desai is leading the agitation to hide his own illegalities. He challenged Anup Desai to first close down the liquor shop of his close family members located in same area, if he really cared for peace and social harmony.
“Anup Desai is instigating the villagers to close down our liquor shop, because his close family members are also operating a liquor shop hardly around 50 metres away from ours. His motive for demanding closure of our shop could be business rivalry,” Nixon said.
“Besides, there is a property dispute between my family and Anup Desai’s family; we are neighbours. Further, my family is the only Catholic family in the area and that might be also a reason to oppose our shop,” Nixon speculated.
Meanwhile, the panchayat reportedly discussed the issue at its meeting two days ago, but did not arrive at a decision as the legal advisor of panchayat was out of station. It is learnt that the panchyat would discuss the issue at its next meeting in presence of its legal advisor.
