MARGAO
Will these members of the Goa Legislative Assembly take up cudgels for the anti-coal protesters and force the government to withdraw criminal cases foisted by the Railways and the Union of India, more so in the light of the Supreme Court judgements on the Tamnar and track doubling projects?
In fact, these and many other leaders, some of whom are now members of the Goa Legislative Assembly, had escaped action from the Railways for participating in the historic midnight vigil on the Chandor railway tracks on November 1-2, 2020 to oppose the three linear projects, including the track doubling project.
Take note, the sustained agitation by various organisations yielded positive results after the Supreme Court judgements in the Tamnar project and track doubling project went in favour of the agitating people, but the protesters hauled up by the Railways in the Chandor midnight protest have a question or two “ will these leaders, who are now part of the august Goa Legislative Assembly make a case with the government for the withdrawal of cases in the ensuing session of the Assembly?
Name them, and senior Congress leaders, including Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Nuvem MLA Aleixo Sequeira, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao, Quepem MLA Alton D’Costa, besides Goa Forward party MLA Vijai Sardesai, Independent MLA Reginaldo Lourennco, besides Aam Aadmi Party MLAs “ Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, had all descended at Chandor on November 1-2 midnight to join hands with thousands of Goemkars to demand in once voice the scrapping of the three linear projects.
Activist Freddy Travasso, who is one of the four persons named by the Railways in the chargesheet, and who pleaded not guilty to the charges, said all the leaders, who are now part of the Goa Legislative Assembly, should demand withdrawal of the false cases foisted by the Railways.
Chandor villager and activist John Coutinho, who has been a familiar face at the anti-coal agitation, echoed similar sentiments. He pointed out that the MLAs, who had all participated in the historic Chandor agitation as leaders, should get the government to withdraw the cases against the four persons. “What wrong have these four persons committed, warranting the Railways to implicate them in the case? Like thousands of people, they too had participated in the agitation to save Goa from becoming a coal hub. The Supreme Court judgement in both the Tamnar project and the track doubling project only goes to show one thing that the people were justified in their protest to save the State and its people from destruction,” John added.
Soon after the Supreme Court had on May 9 last affirmed the recommendations of the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) on the track doubling project, there was a chorus of demand from all quarters to the government to withdraw the cases against the protesters.
The ground reality, however, remains unchanged. The government has still not moved the Court for withdrawal of the case as is evident by the fact that trial against the four persons, Abhijit Prabhudesai, Diana Tavares, Vikas Bhagat and Freddy Travasso is set to begin from July 15 after the foursome pleaded not guilty to the allegations by the Railways.
In fact, after the Supreme Court Judgement on May 9, Goencho Ekvott convenor Creson Antao had demanded immediate withdrawal of the false FIRs filed against the activists participating in the agitation. Antao had demanded that the Supreme Court ruling had proved that the people of Goa were fighting for a just and genuine cause to save their State from the harmful effects of coal and destruction of the environment.
Goa Forward President, MLA Vijai Sardesai too had demanded the withdrawal of the cases filed against the activists for protesting against double tracking. “They have fought for the interest of Goa,” he said, while requesting the Chief Minister to withdraw the cases against the protesters as a gesture of goodwill.
