The Courts are our protectors of democracy and harmony- satisfied interveners hail order

Team Herald

PANJIM: The four interveners on Monday welcomed the order of the North Goa Additional District and Sessions Court dismissing Subhash Velingkar's anticipatory bail application and demanded that the police should immediately arrest him.

Expressing renewed faith in the judiciary as a protector of harmony and democracy, lawyers, petitioners and ordinary Goans spoke of the need to arrest Velingkar based on the court’s order on Monday.

Warren Alemao said, “Satyamev Jayate. Truth always prevails. I had faith in judiciary. It is a slap to those who try to step onto the rights of others. We wanted to protect the identity of St Francis Xavier. The government should stop injustice and divide and rule policy. It is only courts which are there to protect democracy and communal harmony.”

Adv Amit Palekar, who argued on behalf of Velim MLA Cruz Silva, said that it was now open for the police to search him and get him arrested immediately. Velingkar is absconding after the Bicholim police issued him two notices under 35 (3) of new BNSS.

He said that Velingkar could have joined in the investigation but he chose not to. It is now duty of the police to immediately act in the matter and get him arrested.

According to Adv Palekar, this was not one incident and that Velingkar had been doing it often. “During the hearing of the anticipatory bail application, I had stressed categorically that a person who has chosen not to join investigations, defying law and judicial process, he should not be given any liberty to obtain bail,” he said.

Valanka Alemao said, “Each and every Goan had come on the streets because they were hurt. Velingkar should be warned and literally banned from making such statements in future. There is no place for hatred in our country. I thank the court. Truth has finally prevailed.”

Need to regroup, fight govt attempts to sell Goa: Activists

Team Herald

PANJIM: The objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, were part of a game plan aimed at derailing the anti- land conversion protests, which had put the government under severe pressure, activists have unanimously asserted. Now it is time to put the focus back on nailing the government on land conversions and continue the fight in every village against the land sharks, according to activists.

Proving their point, activist Swapnesh Sherlekar said already the Chief Town Planner has joined duty and restarted signing the death warrant for Goan lands. The Lodhas have got a third project approved in South Goa, he pointed out. Furthermore the government has laid out an ominous plan for the fields around Bodgeshwar temple, Mapusa, he said.

Expressing his frustration at the people having fallen into the Government’s trap, Sherlekar said, “Goans don’t seem to understand what their priority is. The government assumed that Goans are fools.”

Sherlekar said the government was extremely happy with which direction the protests went. They fulfilled what they had planned. Their business will go on continuously. They will be able to give approval as they want. Emphasising his point, Sherlekar gave two examples.

Flagging the need to regroup and fight against the government attempts to sell Goa, Sabina Martins of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan said, “We have to think of the future. We are saving our Goa for the future generations. So we have to keep the unity and peace. We have to focus on the future and come out in a big way against the land conversions. Otherwise no Goans will be left in Goa, and we will be strangers.”

An agitated Dr Oscar Rebello said, “The dalals of the government want just this (protests). The very next day they will pass all the files, all the projects will be passed.”