CANACONA
The OSD of Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar has filed a complaint with Canacona police, stating that some posts on social media had defamed Tawadkar.
Two youth, Llyod Godinho, an artist and environmentalist, and Chetan Bhandari, who is active on social media, appeared before the Canacona police inspector have now received a show-cause notice to appear before the Canacona Deputy Collector on July 4.
The action against the two youth has sparked off angry reactions from Goa Forward Party (GFP) Spokesman Vikas Bhagat who warned that police action would not curb the freedom of speech.
Addressing a news conference along with Godinho and Bhandari, Bhagat sought to know what wrong had the two youth committed to be summoned by the police and deputy collector.
“We are not worried about the complaints and we will see that 98 more youth work for us on social media. Freedom of speech is given to us by our constitution and we will face this defamation case.”
“Some memes on Tawadkar received by our youth had been forwarded on WhatsApp. What is wrong with it? Don’t we have freedom of speech, and do we have no right to share what we feel is true, and bring public awareness?”
“We will not be cowed down by police complaints and we will continue to raise our voice and bring public awareness on illegalities and will call whatever wrong is wrong. We are not afraid of defamation cases,” Bhagat added.
Godinho told reporters that as an artist, social activist and a local, he had been disturbed to witnessed environmental destruction in Canacona.
“I have my own views and I try to express them publicly through my creative posts and forwards on social media. If this hurts someone politically, and if someone is trying to stop me, it will definitely affect my creativity as an artist. As to the post which I disposed before the Canacona police, it is a forwarded meme which I received on my mobile phone,” he added.
