‘In Margao, we constantly see fights on petty issues’

Herald: After a meeting at Margao Municipal Council (MMC) on July 10, attended by councilors, citizens and NGOs, two police complaints were lodged. The first complaint was lodged by the MMC sanitary inspector against some citizens, and the citizens then lodged a complaint against the sanitary inspector, which includes outraging the modesty of a woman. The MMC workers then held a strike in protest. The municipality was shut down, garbage wasn’t collected, and all of Margao was affected. Let’s start with Vaz. What do you have to say to this? Vaz: As a citizen, I do not agree with whatever happened. I condemn that act. Who was wrong, the law will take care of. As citizens, we have a right to go to the MMC and watch the proceedings. This whole issue is a very small issue. I have seen the video, which is less than a minute. For that, the workers held the whole town to ransom. This is a plan of the councilors. You know why I blame the councilors for this? They should have sorted it out. Coutinho: The meeting was not a gram sabha. Anyone can come and witness. After the meeting was over, the chairperson called them for some discussions. The incident took place then. Even if it did happen, the law will take care of it. Herald: You’re saying this should have happened at the police station and not at the municipality? Coutinho: Absolutely. I believe even the Police inspector had come to the municipality. Prabhu: The ineffectiveness of the police caused the problem. Vaz: They are partly right. But, it was not such a serious issue that they should hold a pen-down strike and stop collecting garbage. What do the people of Fatorda and Margao have to do with this? The police have their own ways to study the case; they will follow procedure. Both cross complaints are there, they have to settle it out. Few years ago, a similar incident happened. Herald: Keshav, so what is your demand? Prabhu: Our demand is for safety of workers. Coutinho: The strike was confirmed when we received a digital message that the workers would not be doing any work. It also said that waste collection would be hampered. So a few of us went to request the workers to call it off and even told them that we were ready to say sorry on their behalf. Vaz: If you look at the footage, you can clearly see there is no seriousness. Coutinho: Nowhere did we say that we did not want the police to take action against either side. They have to take action wherever it is deemed fit. Herald: So now if you go to see, and I want it from Keshav Prabhu only, what is the action that you expect from police? Prabhu: We are not proposing any course of action. Do whatever is necessary according to the law. Herald: So that will solve the entire issue of assault on municipal employees in the future? Prabhu: Of course. We will know there’s somebody to take action. Coutinho: In Margao, we constantly see fights on petty issues. Even when it came to a biometric system, the union disagreed with us. Vaz: The Margao Municipality is always with their pens down. Their pen down is almost every day; it is nothing new. Herald: Keshav, how do you defend allegations that the union was playing at the hands of the councillors? Prabhu: I reject it outright. I told the Chairperson that he or the Chief Officer should have complained. Why haven’t they complained? Countinho: When the council takes a meeting, and in that meeting it is resolved, that the people should be arrested, doesn’t it suggest that it is a sponsored strike? Vaz: What the sanitary inspector’s complaint says is very simple. It is only a few lines. He said, “I was going out of the council when they obstructed, shouted and pushed me. Can a small push like that be a reason to hold the whole town to ransom? Coutonho: The ego that was prevailing on both sides should have been shunned. This should not be the behavior of the councilors and staff and even the NGOs. Even when we met them the next morning, Dixon told them that would make sure such bad elements were not invited. Prabhu: I feel the pushing was intentional. The activists had some other grudge – at least two of the three assailants. It was intentional. Herald: Who can have a grudge against a sanitary inspector? Prabhu: I know there was some grudge. It was not the first time those three had done such a thing. They that assaulted municipal workers before. Herald: Dixon, I have a question. Shouldn’t NGOs be more peaceful than violent? They can get their work done with proper discussions, talking, RTI – everything is there. Why does someone have to barge into a meeting area, bang the tables and create a ruckus? Vaz: I don’t know the accused people very well. We have nothing to do with them, but I also heard that they had some previous enmities with the MMC, which Keshav knew. If he knew, he should have brought it to the police’s attention and solved the matter. We condemn what the activists did. Not everybody comes with the same intention. Some will provoke. Herald: Mr Prabhu, don’t you think the NGOs frustration is because the municipality is not functioning and the workers are going wrong somewhere? Prabhu: They are NGOs. First of all they should have civic sense. They should act civilized first and then teach others. I think the blame has to first fall on them. If they were civilized, the problem would have been solved. What Dixon says is correct; they may be some activists who will create a ruckus, but then everybody gets a bad name. I am a union leader. If one of my members goes wrong, I am responsible for it, When you lead a group, it is your responsibility. Herald: Are you at least a little sorry for Margao locals? Prabhu: I am absolutely sorry for the inconvenience. But it was the police ineffectiveness that brought Margao to that stage. Herald: As Savio said, everyone has to shun their ego. Will you be able to do that? Prabhu: There is no ego. On our side there is no ego. Coutinho: When you held the Battle for Margao debate, it was clear how frustrated people were with the MMC. I would never have gone to appeal to the workers, but I know what the situation is when the waste-collection is affected because I also support a self-help group in our ward. As it is they do not have any dustbins to dispose of the waste. We had even asked for more dustbins in a letter dated Feb 3. There is no reply to that letter. Vaz: The councillors, the Chairperson, the Director of Municipal Administration, the CO and the activists must all come together for the town. We should not have a problem that holds the entire town to ransom. I had even apologized on behalf of the citizens. I blame the councilors for the fiasco. We elect them, they are our representatives. Who gave them authority not to collect the garbage? We voted for them. Now without the approval of the people how could they go for a strike? We have to make sure such incidents don’t happen in the municipality again. Prabhu: What he said makes sense. There should not be any problem in the future. I feel that the police have been acting in a partial manner till date. They have worked partially. I feel the whole issue had a political angle to it. There is a lot of difference in the way police acted now and the way they acted before.