MARGAO
Strongly condemning the government’s action of filing charge sheets against the protestors who had taken to the streets to demand action against Subhash Velingkar for his derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier, activist Pratima Coutinho termed the police action a direct attack on the minority community.
Pratima also demanded that Christian MLAs in the BJP quit the party and stand by the people if they have any self-respect.
Addressing the media in the city on Monday evening, Pratima, along with Mesho D’Costa, Joyce Dias, and others, condemned the police action of filing charge sheets against the protestors.
Pratima said the people had taken to the streets because the government was not ready to even lodge an FIR against Subhash Velingkar for his derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier. “The people came to the streets because their sentiments were hurt by Velingkar’s statements. The government was not even ready to register an FIR against Velingkar. He was not even arrested after the FIR, but the government is now targeting the minority community,” she said.
Saying the government has stooped low by targeting the protestors, Pratima noted that the government turned a blind eye when inflammatory speeches were made against the Muslim minority in Canacona last year.
“The police have booked the protestors for rioting. Did they come to Margao with guns and swords? Did they indulge in any riots in the city?” she wondered, warning that such tactics would not cow them down from protesting against the government.
Mesho D’Costa said people of all communities had protested against Subhash Velingkar’s statements, but the government has only targeted the minority community. He said all the protestors who have been falsely implicated by the police will come out clean.
