“We will come out with a legislation to ensure that laws are not misused. Those found doing so will be investigated,” he told the House during a zero hour mention when BJP’s Sankhali MLA Dr Pramod Sawant wanted to know about NGOs receiving foreign funding and asked that they be controlled and investigated.
Parrikar mentioned electricity department junior engineer Kashinath Shetye and a lawyer-activist without naming him, alleging that they were misusing their rights to trouble people.
However, he made a qualification saying that a few NGOs and individual activists were doing genuine work.
“There are some NGOs and individuals who fund themselves. They take money and withdraw cases that they have filed,” he said adding that Kashinath Shetye being a government employee has filed 24 cases against various persons and the government.
“I had given directions that the concerned assistant engineer be punished for granting him (Shetye) leave. …there is one more who sends defamatory messages. I don’t want to take his name,” he said.
The chief minister even reeled off the type of cases both have been filing at police stations and courts, including one against Parrikar implicating him in the food poisoning case at Aguada jail where a Mapusa judicial magistrate had ordered the police to register a criminal case.
“I’ll see which police comes to arrest me,” a visibly upset Parrikar dared. “At times, judgment comes without proper study of the case…. We took a stay on this case in the district court.”
The JMFC earlier this year had ordered the Calangute police to file a First Information Report within 24 hours against a jailor, Inspector General of Prisons and the Home Minister into the death of convict Mahadev Gaonkar in the food poisoning case at Aguada jail in May. The order was passed taking cognizance of a complaint filed by Shetye after the police failed to register the case against the trio. The respondents later moved the higher court to obtain a stay which was granted.
Parrikar alleged that some activists have made monetary profits through such blackmail. “These people are litigants by compulsion. They are not litigants by choice or for the improvement of the society,” he alleged reiterating that the new legislation will sternly deal with such litigants.
In another Zero Hour question tabled by party’s Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, sought government’s initiative to dispose off dead animals. He cited an example of an animal carcass lying in the premises of primary health centre, Candolim. Panchayat Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that it was the responsibility of the panchayats to dispose off carcasses of stray cattle lying on the streets.
Arm wrestling over the law
Laws misused to indulge in extortion and blackmailing tactics
Those found doing so will be investigated
Law will be tabled in the House by the next Assembly session.
Parrikar names junior engineer Kashinath Shetye
Assistant engineer be punished for granting him (Shetye) leave
Cites, but does not name lawyer-activist
Few NGOs and individual activists are doing genuine work
