SANGUEM: In an emboldening victory for the farmers opposing the IIT project at Sanguem, a chapter case filed against them under Section 107 of the CrPC by Sanguem police Inspector Pravin Gawas was dismissed at the very first hearing, by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Sanguem.
Celebrating the victory, the farmers told Herald that the case was dismissed as it was based on grossly false allegations. Adv Ohm Stanley Rodrigues, who defended the farmers, said that they have held a peaceful sit-in protest for the past 75 days, at the house of Pedru D’Costa, which is over 800 meters from the proposed IIT site.
However, the police falsely alleged that Pedru D’Costa’s house is within 200 metres from Survey No 21/1 of Cotarli village, accusing the agitators of violating Section 144 imposed within the plot, and over a 200-metre distance from its boundaries. The farmers also claimed that the police tried to put a communal spin on their agitation, and called for the errant officials to be punished.
“In their complaint, the police falsely said that we were planning an anti-IIT rally on October 5, which may result in a major law and order situation between the Hindu and Christian community resulting in loss and damage to public property and human life. This is untrue, and they know fully well that we are farmers of different faiths unitedly opposing the IIT, in order to hold on to our ancestral agricultural plantations,” said the farmers on Tuesday.
“The police department is being forced by greedy politicians to lodge false and fabricated cases against the defenders of lands across Goa, as seen recently at Melauli, Chandor, Borim, Arossim, Shiroda, Mopa and every village and corner of Goa. The police must stop filing cases against those defending land use, and instead, must act strongly against those who want to convert green Goa into a lifeless, concrete cemetery, where no human will be able to survive,” said the farmers in their statement.
