Team Herald
PANJIM: Two days after the police lathi charge on mining dependents, the Transport Minister who is a member of the Cabinet Advisory Committee blamed the taxi association for inciting Monday’s violence.
Addressing the media after a review meeting of the day’s incidents by the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC), Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, said that everything was calm till 11.45 am.
“The agitation was not violent till 11.45 am and the agitators were ready for discussion with CAC members but somewhere around 12 to 12.30 pm the taxi association joined them and made inflammatory speeches which flared tempers and what happened later was there for everyone to see,” he said, adding that mining dependents had no leaders and the taxi association leaders seized the opportunity and instigated them.
Dhavalikar reiterated that the police acted in self defence when agitators started pelting stones. He said the situation went out of control only after the protesters parked and locked vehicles in the middle of the bridge which caused the blockade. “We have taken the vehicle numbers and we will act now, I will not elaborate more,” he said.
When pointed out that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has stated that he has directed the Chief Secretary to withdraw cases, he replied in the negative. “I am not sure and withdrawing of cases or not is a government decision. We have details of the people who created trouble, we have taken numbers and details of all miscreants and we will act soon,” he said.
Dhavalikar further said that the CAC, which met a day prior to the strike call, had urged the dependents to withdraw their stir or move to Campal or Central library, at EDC Patto but they did not listen.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said that people have every right to protest but should not have continued the agitation as exams were on and government was sympathetic to their issues. “We already announced filing of a review petition. So I don’t think there was any need for such a violent agitation,” he said.
Agitation has backfired on mining dependents: TCP Minister
The TCP Minister felt that the agitation has backfired on the mining dependents as the common man is agitated saying “the protest was inhuman and had no signs of Goemkarponn”.
Sardesai said the ban was a Supreme Court decision and has to be respected by all. “Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was here even as Parliament is in session and spoke of all options to resume mining and he is striving to find an alternative,” he said.
Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza, said “The most we can do is file a review petition and place our grievances,” he said.
The CAC review meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, Principal Secretary P Krishnamurthy, North Goa Collector Nila Mohanan and North SP Chandana Choudhary.
