Team Herald
PANJIM: Several Congress workers were detained for holding an “awareness drive” on Section 144 of the criminal procedure code outside Kala Academy at a time when the State is still under the prohibitory order.
On Wednesday evening, more than 50 party workers, holding banners and placards spelling out details of section 144 CrPC gathered at Kala Academy’s entrance to create an “awareness” but were soon taken into custody by the police teams in a bid to prevent any possible law and order situation. The district authorities in the North and South Goa had imposed section 144 CrPC on November 7, ahead of the landmark Ayodhya verdict by the Supreme Court.
Earlier in the day, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari and President of Porvorim Block Congress Committee Shankar Phadte submitted a letter to the North Goa Collector seeking immediate revocation of the order.
The two-page letter stated, “The said order (dated November 7) was made under apprehensions of communal disharmony, processions or protests by various groups etc, which may have disturbed the peace and tranquility in the district. However it is pleasing to know that many days after the delivery of the Ayodhya verdict there has been no morchas, protests/law & order situation nor there is any likelihood or reasonable grounds to believe that any such circumstance exist which may arise to the State or may cause disturbance in normal economic life,”. The letter further added, “It is therefore requested to immediately revoke/rescind the said order as there exist no grounds of nuisance or apprehend danger based on communal harmony.”
