MARGAO
A candlelight peaceful rally held at the historic Lohia Maidan, Margao on Wednesday by women and the concerned citizens of Goa along with the Gakuved Federation, a body comprising a host of tribal organisations, has resolved to appeal to the Central government to impose President’s rule in Manipur to restore peace in the violence-hit state.
The silent rally also adopted a resolution to petition Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of India “to take all necessary measures” to stop the violence in Manipur and protect the women and restore peace.
The rally was called at the Lohia Maidan to condemn the act of sexual assault on the women of Manipur, with people, mostly women and children, attending the meeting to express their solidarity with the tribals affected by the violence.
Gakuved Federation General Secretary Rupesh Velip and woman activist Harsha Wadkar said they are pained to see the inhuman act of stripping, parading, molestation and rape of tribal women in Manipur and the violence experienced by all women during the last more than three months.
“We have no words to condemn the cruelty against women and other tribals,” Rupesh said.
Referring to media reports about an incident wherein a mob had taken five members of a tribal family from police custody in B Phainom village of Kangpokpi district in Manipur on May 4, with the women later paraded and gang-raped, GAKUVED spokesman Govind Shirodkar said: “We term this inhuman act as barbaric and against all civilization and culture of any race or community of any part of the world. The incident is not only bringing shame to India but is also to the community called human beings.”
Shirodkar further said: “International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is celebrated all over the world today (Wednesday), but there is nothing to celebrate on this day for this year due to violence and sexual assault happening on women in Manipur. This is not the only incident that took place in Manipur, similar incidents of brutality and sexual assault on women have been reported and are continuing to happen."
He added: “There are also reports that similar incidents are taking place in the other states of India raising serious questions about the safety, security and dignity of the women in India. It’s a big conspiracy to grab mineral-rich land from tribals by big corporates and politicians by instigating violence in Manipur between two communities. The same thing can happen in Goa, hence we should be vigilant.”
He has expressed concern that despite being aware that such incidents show a recurring pattern across the country, the respective state governments and the central government have failed to intervene and protect the women.
Adv John Fernandes (advisor) and Joycee Dias also spoke on the occasion.
Later, prayers were offered by the participants for the restoration of peace in Manipur. One minute silence was observed for the women and children and for the people who died in Manipur in the violence.
Police mobilised in strength at Lohia Maidan, people unfazed
MARGAO
For the second time in four days, Goa police were mobilised in strength, this time at the Lohia Maidan, Margao as the tribal organisations and concerned citizens of Goa called for a meeting to condemn violence in the strife-torn northeastern state of Manipur.
The peaceful meeting was conducted with a megaphone as the authorities denied sound permission to the organisers. Sources said the cops led by Margao police station in-charge, PI Tulsidas Naik along with a large force from the Margao police sub-division mobilised in strength, apparently to ensure that the organisers do not use sound at the venue.
Unfazed by the police action, the organisers, however, went ahead with their programme with a megaphone as the participants lit candles at the Lohia Maidan stage before taking out a rally.
