Roland D’Souza, the youth from Vasco was on Wednesday arrested for an abstract crime: hurting religious sentiments. His act which purportedly hurt sentiments was posting allegedly derogatory comments about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on social media.
The men-in-uniform sprung to action and swiftly rounded him up. He was however let off after recording an arrest under section 151 of CrPC and an apology from him.
The same alacrity, however, cannot be expected of the same men-in-uniform in relation to the Calangute incident where a group installed a statue of Shivaji Maharaj at a high-visibility public space without any permission. To top it off, the group broke into anarchic chaos outside panchayat office, illegally confining the sarpanch in his office following a notice to remove the statue.
Stones were pelted, cars and property damaged and the sarpanch constantly threatened.
In Goa, you can place statues illegally, encroach CRZ areas and build illegal establishments, securing water and electricity connections with elan. But, for hurting someone’s feelings? Well that’s where the Goa police will draw a line.
