MARGAO: With both the State and Central governments, training their guns on a handful of activists who were present for the historic protest against double tracking in Chandor, questions have been raised as to why only these activists are being selectively targeted when there were thousands of others at the same protest.

Months after the Railway Police charged four activists under the Railways Act, the Maina-Curtorim Police charged the same four and another set of six activists, who were also present for the Chandor protest that took place between November 1 and November 2, 2020.

The anti-coal activists under the banner ‘Goyant Kolso Naka’, have been charged for forming an unlawful assembly and thereafter wrongfully restraining the movement of vehicular transport and other pedestrians by standing on the middle of the road for protesting against the order issued by the District Collector, South for double tracking of the railway track, thereby causing obstructions to the vehicular movement and pedestrians.

Eight of these ten, were present in the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Margao on Wednesday, namely Abhijit Prabhudesai, Freddy Travasso, Sandesh Talekar, Vikas Bhagat, John Coutinho, Diana Tavares, Viriato Fernandes and Royla Fernandes.

They had made an appearance at the JMFC in response to the summons issued to them and the matter has now been adjourned.

“All of the accused are a thorn in the side of the Goa government who are fighting for the cause of the environment at all levels, including the judiciary and that is not palatable to the government and thereof this is yet another attempt to intimidate and threaten these environmentalists,” Adv Ohm Stanley, who is representing four of the accused persons said.

“The prosecution has shot them in the foot by selectively targeting these accused environment activists when the rest of Goa is aware that a number of people were present including prominent names who have now become MLAs,” he added.

Incidentally, the chargesheet filed by the Maina-Curtorim Police has accused ten activists for wrongful restraint and gathering people under their leadership.

Adv Stanley questioned how the prosecution had conveniently ignored the presence of these politicians who were leaders of various political parties and had their followers present too.

Moreover, this is not the only thing the prosecution has failed to mention.

The prosecution has charged the accused persons for blocking traffic on the same day when there was an order enforced by the South Goa District Collector stating that the level crossing road at Chandor was closed for traffic for five hours, between 12 midnight and 5 am on November 2, 2020.

As per that order issued by the then District Collector Ajit Roy, the level crossing road at Chandor between Guirdolim junction to Chandor Church was to be temporarily closed on November 2, 2020 for the cutting of the road to lay the double track.

Questions were raised about the stark contradiction in the Maina-Curtorim chargesheet and the District Collector’s order given that the accused persons have been charged with blocking traffic on the day that there was supposed to be no traffic on that road as per the Collector’s order.

Furthermore, nowhere in the chargesheet has it been mentioned what was the role played by each of the activists in terms of blocking the public and motorists from that area or being part of that unlawful assembly.

The chargesheet has one line that is repeated at several places but it does not explain what the activities did and how they allegedly violated the law

Finally, the prosecution has only relied on eyewitnesses from the police and there is no single independent eye witness that can conform and corroborate the charges.

“We have just received a copy of the chargesheet so we are still in the process of examining it thoroughly and we will argue against all the charges,” said Adv Surel Tilve who was also representing some of the accused at JMFC Margao.