1) Orville Dourado Rodrigues, a founding member of Goencho Ekvott and VACAD
SIMPLE INTENTIONS: Chicalim Youth farmers wanted to stage a skit and a simple flash mob and wind up by 4.30 pm.
“Initially the programme, which consisted of a flash mob and a skit was to be conducted at Azad Maidan, but since the Maidan was off-limits due to the visit of our President, we decided to have the programme at the Church steps at about 3:00 pm with the intention that the event will wind up maximum by 4:30 pm, well before the official event at Azad Maidan which was scheduled @ 6:00 pm. Since our youth were early, they decided to converge at Mapusa in solidarity with the Drishti Lifeguards”, narrated Rodrigues
Criss-crossing Goa: Traumatised youth taken on whirlwind Goa darshan by Goa police
Rodrigues continued “What happened next was totally unprecedented and unwarranted. A busload of youth being ‘hijacked’ by the very persons who should be protecting them, the Goa Police, who were not sporting their name tags. Frankly, none of us were ready for what was to follow. Fr Bolmax Pereira, mentor @ CYFC (Chicalim Youth Farmers Club) made frantic calls to DySP Uttam Dessai demanding that the traumatised youth who were initially taken to Porvorim, thereafter to Colvale, were to be brought back to Panjim from where the private bus was initially commandeered. However the trauma of the youth did not end there as the bus was then taken to Bambolim and later on to the compound of Agassaim Police Station, before making its way to Ponda Police Station at 6:30 pm.”
Throttling the ‘avaaz’?: Goencho Avaaz and Ekvott members also picked up for the merry go round
The convoy also consisted of two police busses full of detainees who were picked up from private properties in and around Panjim, among them Co-Convener of Goencho Avaaz, Captain Viriato Fernandes and Goencho Ekvott Executive members Jayesh Shetgaokar, Erlich Dourado Rodrigues, Xencor Polgi among others and some other youth. Their ‘crime’ was that they were wearing T-shirts with Goa inscribed on them with slogans! Even some tourists were not spared just because they were wearing T-shirts with Goa inscribed on them.
Youth protected by ACTIVISTS: Capt Viriato and Fr Bolmax stand guarantors
It was only past 9:00 pm that the youth were set free to loud cheers from the crowd, but not before they all sang the National Anthem. Captain Viriato and Dr Bolmax stood as guarantors for the youth as was agreed with the PSI from Panjim PS and they were thereafter taken to the Panjim Police station to record their statement before the SDM. Approaching midnight, the PSI himself went to the residence of the SDM.
Capt Fernandes and Fr Bolmax asked to report to the police station twice a week for three months
But what followed was even more shocking to all of them present on 19th December 2020, a good 60 years after Goa was liberated by the Indian Army. Both were made to sign a bond to maintain peace under sections 107, 109 and 110 with instructions to report to their police station twice a week for the first 3 months, and once a week for the next 3 months.
2) Fr Bolmax Pereira, Environment activist and mentor of Chicalim Youth Farmers Club
Environment activist Fr Bolmax Pereira, told the media that he went to Ponda police station on Saturday evening after learning that the youth from Chicalim were picked up by the police in Panjim before entering the city; and that no reasons had been given to the youth as to why they were being taken away by the police.
Believe it or not: Youth picked up for the security of the President by
batch-less cops
“These youth later went live on social media platforms and their calls for help were heard by many. I contacted a police officer from Panjim and asked under what section and why these youths are being picked up, to which the officer informed me that the National Security Act (NSA) has been applied. And for the security of the President, the youth were picked up. I later demanded that these youths be safely dropped back at Panjim,” said Fr Pereira.
He further mentioned that the youth were in fear, seeing the batch-less police persons in the bus and thought that they were being taken to some unknown place. The police bus was also stopped by the people at Colvale by locals after hearing the calls of the youth for help. Fr Pereira said that after the interaction with DYSP Panjim, it was learnt that the youth would be released at Agassaim police station in the evening due to some protocol issues.
Fr Bolmax and Capt Viriato produced before SDM at night and made to sign a bond
Fr Bolmax also mentioned that to his surprise, the police bus containing the youth were later taken to Ponda police station and over there he saw that Capt.Viriato Fernandes was also picked up by the police for questioning. Fr Bolmax also mentioned that later, the police released the youth and instead took Fr Bolmax and Captain Viriato to Panjim to be produced before the SDM and they two were asked to sign a bond and were later released at midnight.
3) Captain Viriato Fernandes Co –Convenor Goencho Avaaz & member Goencho EKvott
Captain Viriato Fernandes of Goencho Avaaz (GA) in a video message said that many youths and artists gave a call to gather at the Panjim church square to celebrate the 60th Goa liberation day and to exhibit their talent far away from the venue where the President of India was supposed to be present in the evening.
Whose orders?: Youth picked up on orders of “higher-ups”
“Around 3 pm when I reached the Church Square, I noticed a huge police force that were picking up youngsters and putting them into the bus. When I questioned the police as to why they are taking the youth, the police informed me that they have the orders from the higher ups”, said Capt Fernandes.
He stated that later, the police got a call and then the police asked him to accompany him in the police car and assured to release the youths if he agreed. The Captain agreed to this and then he was taken to the Panjim bus stand where he saw another bus with youth from Chicalim that was being taken to North Goa.
The Liberation Day bus ride: Panjim to Colvale to Panjim to Ponda
He then called up his GA Co-convenor Swapnesh Sherlekar and gave details of the bus wherein later at Colvale, the bus was stopped by the locals and then the police were told to drop back the youth at Panjim, which they agreed.
After reaching Panjim, the bus was surprisingly taken to Ponda police station. Captain Viriato said that he too was taken to Ponda by police and that he saw many environmentalists, activists, youngsters and lawyers who were present at the site to defend the youth.
“After many hours, the police kept Fr Bolmax Pereira and me at the Ponda police station and released the youth at around 9.30 pm. We both were later taken to Panjim police station where we were informed by the police that we were being produced before the SDM and charges have been put on us,” he recalled.
He concluded his video message by addressing the Chief Minister, where he said, “If you start misbehaving with youth then they won’t forgive you. You have done a great dis-service to the youth and they are now determined and fired up and they will take you to task”.
