Complaints filed; fishing community flags attempt to disturb peace
Citizens from Salcete coastal belt at the Colva police station on Monday evening demanding action against the accused for derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier. A delegation of local elected representatives with Colva PI Vikram Naik demanding actio
MARGAO
Hundreds of residents inhabiting Salcete coastal belt descended at the Colva police station on Monday evening to demand the immediate arrest of Gautam Khattar over his derogatory remarks against St Francis Xavier.
Members of the local fishing communities and citizens in general, cutting across political and party lines, assembled at the police station to lodge their complaints against the accused person.
Sarpanchas of the village panchayats of Colva Tereza Fernandes, Xavier Pereira (Benaulim), Flavia Barretto (Varca), Sandra Fernandes (Carmona), Dixon Vaz (Cavelossim), Simao Pereira (Orlim) besides the Zilla panchayat members of Colva, Antonio Mam Fernandes and Benaulim Luiza Rodrigues, besides the president and members of Benaulim Congress Block Committee joined the spontaneous protests against Khattar’s remarks.
President of the Colva Traditional fishing Association Thomas Rodrigues said people such as Gautam Khattar should be banned from entering Goa for disturbing peace and amity in Goa. He said these elements are trying to disturb the State’s communal harmony in the run up to the election.
Congress Benaulim block Congress president Keith Gracias said the people have submitted a complaint to the Colva police demanding action against Khattar as well as the organisers and others sharing the dais at the Vasco event. Congress leader Solan Furtado said people like Gautam Khattar have become emboldened to attack St Francis Xavier because the government is treating such forces with kid gloves.
Carmona Sarpanch Sandra Fernandes said the police need not break their head in tracing khattar, saying that since the organisers had invited the accused for their programme, they should be in a position to shed light on his whereabouts.
Youth leader Warren Alemao said the BJP government is facing an acid test on the question of arresting Gautam Kattar. “The government was quick in registering FIR against Fr Bolmax Pereira for his utterances against Shivaji. Now, let us wait and see how much time the police will take to arrest Khattar. If Khattar is still not arrested, it is because the government is protecting the accused. Tomorrow, he will get bail and go scot free like Subhash Velingkar because the government is not serious,” he said.
Cavelossim Sarpanch Dixon Vaz appealed to CM Pramod Sawant not to take the issue lightly. He demanded that either the SP, South or the DGP or IGP should keep the people updated on the progress of investigations in the case on a daily basis.
Benaulim ZP member Luiza Rodrigues said that people from the Salcete coastal belt have not approached the police as members of any political party or group. She added that people have faith in St Francis Xavier and believe he will deliver justice, even if some try to protect the accused.
Colva Sarpanch Tereza wondered why the Christians and their faith is under attack again and again.
Paul Lobo later told the media that around 4-5 complaints have been lodged with Colva PI Vikram Naik demanding action against Gautam Khattar.
PI Vikram said the complaints received at the Colva police station will be forwarded to the police higher ups since the Vasco police have already registered FIR against the accused.
