Team Herald
SANGUEM: Even as the administration clamped Section 144 and deployed a large number of policemen on the 1.5 km stretch of road from Dando Junction to Sanguem to prevent farmers community from agitating during Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant’s visit to Sanguem on Wednesday, the local unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) took out a rally in Uguem Village and Sanguem town without any restriction.
The agitating farmers who are being allegedly harassed by the people on daily basis, wondered as to whether the order issued by the Collector imposing Section 144 in the town area and Uguem Village was only applicable for them.
Constancio Mascarenhas, who is spearheading the movement against IIT at Sanguem, said that it was highly disgraceful to see the state machinery being used to harass the farmers in Sanguem.
“On one hand, the Collector imposes Section 144 in the locality, police maintains extra vigilance on ensure that farmers do not venture out and take to streets. On the other hand, RSS members were openly seen conducting a rally at Sanguem in the midst of police presence. Why this double standards?” questioned Mascarenhas.
Another farmer claimed that on three occasions they sought permissions from the authorities to conduct a peaceful rally in Sanguem, but the authorities have blindly refused to give permission to them.
“But other organisations are given permissions to conduct rallies even when Section 144 is in place. Why this discrimination against the farming community? Does this not amount to violation of the order issued by the Collector?” asked a farmer on conditions of anonymity.
“It was literally surprising to see the presence of over 200 policemen all along the road from Dando to Sanguem, especially in front of the house of Pedro Cruz, where the farmers were holding sit-in agitation since last 15 days,” another farmer said.
