the goan I network
MAPUSA
In a move which is likely to stoke controversy, the BJP-run Mapusa Municipal Council on Friday revoked permission to a rally scheduled on Saturday to protest against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), after a local ‘nationalist’ group threatened to create law and order issues at the protest meeting site.
MMC’s Chief Officer Clen Madeira revoked the permission, which had been previously granted to the organisers ‘Sahayog’ with the requisite police clearance, just an hour after a self-styled organisation called Desh Premi Nagrik warned of a simultaneous meeting at the Mapusa taxi stand “ the protest meeting site.
“The permission which was granted to you is hereby revoked on account of objection received from Swarajya Gomantak, Desh Premi Nagrik as there is an apprehension of breach of peace/law and order problem,” Madeira said in a letter to Firoz Khan, convenor of the meet.
The CAA has been billed as anti-Constitution by the Opposition.
An hour before the revocation, a group of citizens under the banner of Swarajya Gomantak, Desh Premi Nagrik of Mapusa had petitioned the deputy collector and other authorities seeking to revoke the permission granted for a public meeting against the CAA in Mapusa.
“If this meeting goes ahead, we as nationalist citizens of Mapusa will organize a protest march against this meeting at the same time on the same venue. It may cause law and order situation in Mapusa and the authority concerned will be solely responsible for it,” the letter, which had 33 signatories, said.
Besides Sanjay Walavalkar, a close friend of former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar, the letter was signed by Jayesh Thali and Chandrakant Pandit who are active members of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti among others.
Two Mapusa councillors “ Sanjay Mishal and Chandrashekar Benkar “ were also present while submitting the letter to the authorities. Interestingly, the petition does not bear their signatures.
The proponents of anti-CAA meet in a pamphlet said that ‘Citizens of Mapusa’ against CAA, NRC & NPR were holding a protest meeting at taxi-stand in Mapusa and requested all to join the peaceful meeting.
Political parties slammed the decision of the chief officer who they said appeared to be taking instructions from political masters.
“The revoking of the permission given to an anti-CAA rally is utter disgraceful and a blot on the town of Mapusa. The Constitution gives right to every citizen to protest in a peaceful manner and an order issued by the MMC not to the hold a rally at the insistence of one group, despite having all the legal permissions is only but an attempt to crush dissent in a democracy,” said Rahul Mhambre of Aam Aadmi Party.
Congress General Secretary Amarnath Panjikar said in a democracy everyone had the right to protest and what has happened in Mapusa was not right.
“This shows there is no rule of law in Goa as officials themselves break the law. The decision of the chief officer to first issue permission after police clearance is a shame on the administration. This shows the officials follow political diktats,” Panjikar said.
He said even during the Mhadei protest, the government imposed Section 144 only to throttle the voice of the opposition.
Incidentally, the BJP had organized a State-level mega rally in the first week of January in Panaji ostensibly to create awareness about the CAA.
BJP national working president J P Nadda along with CM, Pramod Sawant, had addressed the rally in presence of State BJP chief, Vinay Tendulkar and a host of other BJP leaders.
Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant had also participated in a pro-CAA rally which coincided on Christmas day last year held in his home town in Sankhali.
