Margao: National Confederation of Human Rights-Goa (NCHRO) on Wednesday protested in front of the Margao municipality, against the arrest of 83-year-old Fr Stan Swamy, a tribal rights activist from Jharkhand.
Popular Front of India members and Church members along with the Shadow Council of Margao protested outside the Margao Municipality.
The NCHRO representatives said, “We can’t take lying down. Fr Stan Swamy is the voice of Adivasis/Tribals, who are being persecuted and their land grabbed by corporates and the fascist Regime. 3,000 tribals are behind Bars and 16 along with Fr Stan Swamy are booked under draconian UAPA accusing them of being a part of Bhima Koregaon.
Fr Victor Ferrao said the incident of arresting an 83-year-old is sad. “Arresting a tribal rights leader and linking him to the Bhima-Koregaon violence only shows that this Government has rigged everything in the country. The Goa State is becoming a corridor for coal and we have lost our self-respect and pride. It is now or never for us. We have to stand up and save Goa,” said Fr Ferrao.
Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai was also protesting. “The Government in the Centre and the State of Goa tags the authors, student leaders, activists as Maoists and arrests them. “When the government arrested Fr Stan Swamy who supported the tribals of Jharkhand this government is supporting the mining lobby and mine owners interests. In Goa too the same thing is happening,” he added.
