VASCO
Seven Congress legislators Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Yuri Alemao, Kedar Naik, Altone DCosta and Adv Carlos Ferreira arrived to the Mormugao Police station along with Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar on Sunday evening.
The delegation of the Congress leaders met the DySP Salim Shaikh and Mormugao PI Ajit Umarye and took stock of the situation regarding the clash of the rival groups on Holi at Bogda.
The Congress alleged that a family issue was politicised unnecessarily and also said that the police must not act under any political pressure.
The meeting lasted for around 45 minutes after which the delegation also met the family members of some of the people who had been arrested in the case and assured them of all support to ensure that there will be no political victimisation.
Speaking to media later Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar said that the clashes were basically due to family rivalry but was unneccessarily blown out of proportion.
"The BJP wants to make an issue because they cannot accept defeat. I have been constantly stressing that people must now get united and resolve differences because we must move out of the fearful environment that has been created all these years. The former MLA used pressure tactics while he was in power and he has continued that even now because he is scared that the people will join hands with me. He wants to divide the people by running to the BJP leaders and using police force to put fear in the minds of my supporters, " said Amonkar.
"I want to tell my people that I will never create differences amongst people and will celebrate all festivals unitedly and peacefully by uniting beyond party lines. I will not encourage any fights and we must now unite for development works and I request the rival supporters also to join us and support us for development works," said Amonkar.
Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira said that he had told the police that the power to arrest is not necessary to arrest as per the Supreme Court judgement in the Joginder Kumar 1994 case.
"No one can be arrested only because their names have come up or suggested as the person must be involved and his role has to be known. Filing an FIR, arresting someone and putting his name to a chargesheet simply will not hold in the court and I have told the police that if they simply arrest anyone, the police officials can fall in trouble . The police must not act on pressure and arrest people because their names have been mentioned politically and I have warned the police not to arrest simply because a person's life can be affected if they are wrongfully arrested, " said Ferreira.
"People have been arrested and the moment they get bail, another FIR has been registered under the same sections which is against Supreme Court guidelines . This is no reason for this except for political pressure and I have told the police that they fall in trouble if they handle this case under political pressure. I have the confidence now that the police will not simply arrest people because we will quash the case in the court once the chargesheet is filed. Later we will then file a case for wrongful arrest, " said Ferreira.
