Vijai claims he too was stopped by group linked to Tivim MLA
TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
TIVIM/PANJIM: St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh’s attendance at a cultural event hosted by NCP leader and ex-MLA Nilkant Halarnkar at Revora-Bardez infuriated supporters allegedly linked to fellow BJP MLA Kiran Kandolkar, as they confronted him at Nadora and damaged his vehicle on his return home on Thursday night.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai, who also attended the programme, claims he too was earlier stopped by the supporters, but managed to escape after he took out his licenced weapon.
Speaking to Herald at the Mapusa police station, a livid Wagh stated that he had been invited by Halarnkar to attend a Kirtan programme at Revora.
“As I was returning from the event at about 9.30 pm, around 60-70 supporters of MLA Kiran Kandolkar, armed with iron rods and stones, stopped my car opposite the Nadora church and asked me to get out. They wanted to know why I had entered their area and began abusing me.”
“As my driver and I did not get out of my car, they began smashing my vehicle. At that moment, an oncoming vehicle reached the site and fearing that they would be identified, the mob fled from the site and went towards Pirna,” he said.
A police vehicle on patrol was proceeding along
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the route, when Wagh alerted the police about the incident.
“This was a pre-planned attack by Kandolkar’s supporters, otherwise how else would they have known that I was in my official Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) car,” asked Wagh.
Wagh then went in the police patrol vehicle to the Mapusa police station, where he lodged a police complaint in the presence of his distraught wife and Halarnkar.
On hearing news of the incident, supporters of Wagh rushed to the Mapusa police station.
“If it were a political rally, it would have been a different issue. The goons may be the enemy of Halarnkar, but why target me as I was only invited to the event,” asked Wagh.
“This is the handiwork of Kandolkar since all his supporters were there. Besides, 60-70 supporters were there and it could not have been an accident. They wanted to smash my car, hurt me and kill me. I would like to tell Kandolkar that I have never played such petty politics in my life,” said a visibly upset Wagh.
On the advice of his doctor, Wagh later proceeded to the GMC hospital for a medical checkup.
Speaking to Herald, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai said he too had been surrounded by these ‘goonish’ looking elements.
“I managed to escape as I took out my licenced weapon and the men retreated. Such type of hooliganism against their own local MLA (Wagh) speaks volumes about the intolerance that the BJP politics of today signifies for the state as well as the country,” charged Sardessai.
Sardessai said that he had called up 100 to inform the police about the attack on him before he tried to contact the others at the function.
The Kirtan Mahotsav is a festival that has been supported by Halarnkar for the past five years and this year, the two MLAs were invited to attend the function.
When contacted, former MLA Nilkant Halarnkar told Herald that he had invited Wagh and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai for a Kirtan function at Revora on Thursday evening.
Condemning the incident, Halarnkar believes that the assault on Wagh was the handiwork of MLA Kiran Kandolkar’s supporters. “If MLAs are not safe after attending a programme at night, what would be the fate of the common man,” asked Halarnkar.
Despite repeated attempts, MLA Kiran Kandolkar did not answer his phone and could not be contacted to comment into allegations that his supporters were involved in the incident.
