MARGAO
The historic Lohia Chowk at Assolna, where Dr Ram Manohar Lohia had visited along with friend Dr Juliao Menezes before the duo descended at the Lohia Maidan, Margao to give a call for Goa’s Liberation on 18th June 1946 symbolizes freedom of speech and expression.
Since then, the Lohia Chowk must have played host to hundreds, if not thousands of public meetings and programmes in the post-Liberation era.
However, there was a bid to scuttle an awareness programme called by public-spirited citizens on Mhadei, Old Goa construction and double tracking/coal transportation at the historic Lohia Chowk, Assolna on Sunday.
Deputy Collector Ravishekar G Nipanikar had rejected the permission sought by social activist Anthony D’Silva based on a report received from Sub-divisional Police officer, Margao DySP Santosh Desai upon a report from the Cuncolim Police Inspector Tukaram Chawan.
A glance at the reports submitted by the police officers revealed that the reasons advanced by the police to deny sound permission to hold the meeting were not based on sound grounds.
Consider this. The Cuncolim police had objected to the sound permission on grounds that in view of tourist season, a large number of national and international tourists visit at Cabo-de-Rama Fort, Betul Beach, Canguinim Beach through Assolna market, especially on Saturday and Sunday.
The report further spoke about inputs that a large number of people are not in favour of the awareness programme and there are likely to be chances that there may be a tussle between both the groups which may result in a law & order situation.
The police further stated that since the event will be held at Lohia Chowk, which is situated at the centre of Assolna market, it will affect the regular flow of vehicular traffic, fish vendors, vegetable vendors and the general public, which will cause traffic congestion in the area.
In fact, the report did not rule out a law & order situation, adding that if both groups come face-to-face, there will be a conflict which will lead to heavy serious law & order situation.
The police did not mention in the report which group of persons they are talking about who will come to oppose the programme and whether the police had received objections in writing from this group.
Questions are also being raised whether the police were not in a position to make law and order arrangements even assuming another group had threatened to oppose the programme.
That’s not all. The Cuncolim Police Station further stated that if permission is granted to the applicant then there is a possibility of giving an instigation speech/comment/ slogan against any person religion, organization, institution, provocative speeches etc. which may incite the public in the locality which cannot be ruled, hence the request of the applicant may please be rejected.
Social activist Anthony D’Silva slammed Cuncolim PI Tukaram Chawan for submitting a negative report, which led to the denial of sound permission.
“This meeting has been called to save Goa and not to sell Goa through land deals. PI Chawan is responsible for denying permission for the meeting,” Anthony thundered.
Undeterred citizens go ahead with programme
MARGAO:
Undeterred by attempts by the police to scuttle the awareness programme on Sunday by denying sound permission, concerned citizens of Assolna and Ambelim have vowed to fight to protect Mhadei and the illegalities and protect the heritage site of Old Goa.
With the authorities denying sound permission for the programme, the organisers went ahead with the programme at the Lohia Chowk, as they further vowed to contribute to the environment from coal dust due to coal transportation.
They called for sustainable development with a single railway track and opposed the ongoing track doubling project.
Speakers Rajendra Kerkar, Fr Bolmax Pereira, historian Prajal Sakhardande, Xencor Polgi, Glen Cabral, besides Anthony D’Silva and others, addressed the programme.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva, who had taken up cudgels for the organisers after the authorities denied the sound permission, was conspicuous by his presence.
Interestingly, while the Cuncolim police had vehemently objected to the sound permission, the men in uniform were conspicuous by their absence.
Activist Rajendra Kerkar stressed the need to save the river Sal from destruction, even as he called for the protection of water resources.
Fr Bolmax blamed the government for the inaction when the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd is going ahead with the double tracking project even as the Supreme Court cancelled the project in the wildlife area.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande lamented the illegal bungalow at Old Goa has been completed when the site is a UNESCO-declared heritage site.
