Team Herald
PANJIM: Congress has condemned the police lathi charge against the mining dependents protesting the closure of iron ore mining activities in the State.
In a statement issued, Congress president Shantaram Naik questioned whether the order for lathi charge came from Home Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is being treated in USA.
“If not, then let the minister who has taken responsibility of the Home portfolio from Parrikar, the Chief Minister of Goa, come forward to claim responsibility of the illegal and unconstitutional order,” he said.
The former MP also sought to know whether Goa Police had consulted any of three ministers of the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) before carrying out the illegal lathi charge. “I would also like know whether Criminal Procedure Code in force in the State of Goa has extra-territorial jurisdiction,” he said.
Opposition Leader Chandrakant Kavalekar said the govt is responsible for the situation that led many Goans to call for agitation. “Though govt was well aware of the SC order on closure of mining it has not taken any steps to address the issues of mining dependents. The negligence of the govt towards those whose daily bread is dependent on mining activity is seen from this act,” Kavalekar said.He said it was disturbing to see police charging on common man and injuring them and it was sad to see the govt taking no action on such an act, and the interest of Goenkars not being protected.Kavalekar has called for an emergency CLP meeting on Tuesday to discuss the failure on the part of the govt to find a solution to the mining issue.
