The controversial banner.
AAP volunteers outside Colva police station.
Churchill’s son, nephew and supporters outside the Colva police station. Pics: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Aam Admi Party (AAP) workers clashed at Benaulim midnight over the issue of banners put up by AAP volunteers calling for a debate between MLA Churchill Alemao and AAP leader Wenzy Viegas over the education system in Benaulim constituency.
Both the groups have lodged complaints and counter complaints with the Colva police. If Churchill’s nephew Warren lodged a complaint claiming he and Churchill’s son Savio were assaulted by AAP workers, an AAP worker Neri Fernandes lodged a complaint, with a claim he and others were assaulted by Warren and Savio.
Colva police station in-charge, PI Tukaram Chawan informed that the police have received complaints from both sides, adding that the police is investigating into the same.
The incident occurred late last night when AAP workers, including Benaulim ZP member Hanzel Fernandes were putting up banners at Benaulim on the debate between Churchill and Wenzy over the education system in the constituency.
Taking offense to the banners, Churchill son Savio and nephew confronted the AAP workers, resulting in a clash. While Warren claimed that he has suffered some minor injuries in the scuffle, AAP leaders said the video that had gone viral is a testimony how the AAP workers were roughed up and assaulted by the Savio-Warren duo.
Supporters of both sides later descended on the Colva police to demand action against each other. AAP leaders Pratima Coutinho, Sandesh Talenkar along with Wenzy and others rushed to the Colva police station around midnight. Pratima told the media that no one has the right to take the law in their hands.
Wenzy said AAP volunteers were putting up the banners inviting the MLA for a debate on the education system in Benaulim. “We wanted a debate with the MLA. Is it wrong to put up a banner when there is no election code or an election. We wanted the debate with the MLA for want of progress in the education system”, Wenzy said, adding “the banner neither insults nor abuse the MLA, but has only called for a debate”.
AAP ZP member Hanzel said Savio and Warren forcefully stopped the party volunteers from putting up the banner and claimed the duo assaulted Alban and Neri. “When they realized that I was recording the incident, they took my phone, which was later returned. I told them that the banners will be removed, but they were not ready to listen”, Hanzel said.
Warren, on the other hand,, claimed that he and Savio were assaulted by the AAP volunteers when they confronted them for putting up the banners with Churchill’s photo. “Why they had to put up the banners at the dead of night. When we questioned them whether they had taken Churchill’s permission or permission of the panchayat to put up the banners, they attacked us”, Warren claimed.
Meanwhile, Churchill demanded to know how AAP could use the photo of a NCP MLA on a banner without his permission in his constituency. “We have no issue with ZP member Hanzel and his family,. But, I have a question for the AAP leaders how they could use my photo in their banners without my nod and sans permission of the Panchayat and police”, he said.
