PANJIM: On the day the chief Minister was due to present his first budget, 53 striking workers were arrested as they led a morcha to the Goa Legislative Assembly in violation of Section 144, with one of them even attempting self-immolation, an attempt which was thwarted by the police.
They were accused of physically attacking the policemen in their unsuccessful attempt to march towards the Assembly complex.
Over 150 employees of EMRI GVK 108 Ambulance Service, security guards among others first breached section 144 of the CrPC, imposed in view of the ongoing Assembly session when they gathered at Azad Maidan.
“Despite reminding them about section 144 CrPC, they jumped off the cordoned area and marched towards Porvorim. Some were arrested from Azad Maidan,” Panjim PI Rajendra Prabhudesai said.
While some were arrested near the Mandovi bridge as they also physically attacked the policemen in their attempt to march towards the Assembly complex. While they failed to reach the Assembly, one of them poured kerosene on himself and threatened to immolate himself. The police force, however, thwarted his attempt and arrested him.
Seeing the gravity of the situation, a lathi charge was ordered and some more were arrested while others managed to escape police action.
The police have registered an offence under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149, 180 and 353 of IPC for deterring government servants while discharge their duties.
Hundreds of police officials drawn from different police stations were deployed at strategic points to ensure the proceedings of the Assembly were not hampered. Vehicular traffic proceeding from Panjim to Porvorim on the Mandovi Bridge was diverted to the parallel bridge.
The matter was raised by Opposition benches in the House, condemning the lathi charge on the striking employees. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar once again stated that despite his assurance to accommodate the workers in the Human Resources Corporation, they were being misguided by some ‘neta’.
“They (striking workers) met me last evening (Tuesday) and I assured to recruit them in the corporation. But their neta is misguiding them. Those who do not fit the Recruitment Rules (RRs), will be accommodated in housekeeping,” he said, adding that in the last couple of weeks about 701 have been accommodated in HRC.
He also ‘committed’ that drafting of RRs for housekeeping will be completed in two-to-three months.
