MARGAO
Is the South Goa district and police administration geared up to put in place law and order arrangements at the communally sensitive Rumdamol Housing Board area, on the outskirts of Margao, which has witnessed communal violence and tension in the recent past, as the stage is set for the visit of Maharashtra’s Hindutva activist, Sambhaji Bhide to address a gathering at a local temple on August 24.
Police authorities informed that since Sambhaji Bhide will address the gathering inside the temple hall, there’s no question of the authorities granting or rejecting sound permission. As far as Bhide’s visit to Rumdamol is concerned, the police said that adequate bandobast arrangements will be made in the area as a precautionary measure.
Officials in private said it is purely for the government to take a call on Sambhaji Bhide’s visit, even as the Congress has demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ban Bhide’s Goa visit in view of the prevailing communal tensions.
Police, however, are believed to have so far not submitted any report to the district authorities or to the Home department pointing out the communally sensitive nature of the Rumdamol housing Board in view of the recent violence and tension witnessed in the village.
The Rumdamol Housing Board was literally on the edge around mid-June last when a BJP-backed Panchayat member complained of an attack on his life while driving home late night over the issue of a madrassa. The incident had triggered violence when unknown persons damaged the premises housing the Madrassa and stoned the vehicles of Panchayat member Saimulla Fanibandh, whose wife is the heading the Rumdamol Panchayat as the Sarpanch.
Violence was reported in the village the following day as well after members of a mob, which took out a procession, stoned a beef stall, right in the presence of the Goa police personnel, followed by provocative speeches seeking a ban on open sale of beef in the area.
Rumdamol was again in the news last week on Independence Day when a group of people raised objections to a banner put up in the area with the photo of Khan Abdul Gaffoor khan, who the protestors contended was a Pakistani.
Maina Curtorim police had rushed to the spot to avert a flare up in the tensions and booked two persons under preventive detention.
