SALIGAO: Tourism Minister and Saligao MLA Dilip Parulekar has said that he was present along with 200 villagers as their MLA since he was called and not to instigate any mob over the demolition of a “supposed ghumti on the premises of land leased to the Don Bosco institution”.
The incident snowballed into a worrying situation as villagers gathered at land leased to Don Bosco to build an institution and started work on a structure, which according to them was a religious structure. Records with authorities didn’t indicate this and Don Bosco has completely denied this.
Even as past students of Don Bosco gathered to stand up for the institution and amidst allegations levelled by villagers that a ghumti described as a religious structure was demolished, Parulekar said that it was important that communal harmony prevailed in the village and issues should be sorted out.
He said that besides that he has no interest in the issue. “As an MLA of Saligao it is my duty to be present with the people when they call, was it my mistake?” Parulekar said. The reason he was present with the people was to keep them from taking any unwanted steps, he said.
He said it a fact that bouncers were posted at the plateau by Don Bosco and that is the reason why villagers were furious and had a clash.
The priests of the Salesian society of Don Bosco, however, said that they had placed security guards after the property trespass and the forcible construction which started in the presence of the police.
“I want police to investigate this case thoroughly and as assured the idol of goddess Kalika, which was robbed, should be traced and the culprits nabbed,” Parulekar said.
He reiterated that the ghumti was in existence for many years, but nobody is sure since when. He said it is a question of the villagers’ sentiments and feelings.
The Don Bosco institution has maintained that there was no religious structure of any sort in the property leased to them for building an educational institution.
The tourism minister said the concerned authorities shall look into the matter of ownership of the land as the comunidade, that owns the land, had leased it to Forest Department on certain terms and conditions for 25 years in 1996.
He said the land now leased to Don Bosco was once given to the Indian Navy but the people at that time had fought and retained the land from being acquired as it was the only place for grazing and added that the land is registered with the comunidade as a grazing area.
He also maintained that no priest was present at the time of the clash and it is not true that a priest was abused by the mob. However, Father Wilfred Fernandes of Don Bosco reiterated that it was indeed the case.
