MAPUSA
Colvale Police have booked Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) President Manoj Parab after the State filed a complaint alleging that he tried to disturb Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar’s campaign for the GST Utsav in Pirna.
Parab appeared at the Colvale police station on Tuesday along with several party workers in response to the summons. St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar also joined in support. Colvale PI Sanjit Kandolkar confirmed that Parab and others were booked under sections relating to rioting and unlawful assembly.
The case is linked to an incident two days earlier, when Minister Halarnkar and his supporters toured Pirna to mark the GST Utsav and explain GST relief measures to shop owners. Parab and a few RGP workers questioned the minister about a panchayat letter issued to shop owners whose properties fall under a proposed road-widening project.
Speaking at the police station, Borkar said the case showed that “asking questions to the government is being treated as a crime. There is dictatorship all over Goa. Earlier, fake cases were filed against our leaders and workers but were later quashed. We were never scared.” He also alleged that the minister “seems afraid of facing questions from the public.”
Action meant to silence us: Parab
Parab has termed the police action against him as retaliatory, claiming it is aimed at suppressing the party’s voice against government actions.
“They are trying to suppress our voice. But to protect Goa, we will continue to fight and question injustice and wrongdoing,” Parab said.
Explaining the events that led to the booking, Parab said he had attended Fisheries Minister Nilkant Halarnkar’s GST Utsav event after learning about it from the local sarpanch. “I came to know about the event when the local sarpanch posted it in the VDC group, of which I am a member. I decided to take part and question the minister on why he skipped the gram sabha,” he said.
Parab also raised concerns over notices issued by the panchayat to shopkeepers whose establishments fall in the proposed road-widening area, asking the minister whether these shops would be demolished.
Political vendetta, says Alemao
MAPUSA: Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Yuri Alemao also hit out at the government, terming the police case “political vendetta.”
He said, “Frustrated at being exposed, this weak BJP government is misusing police and other machinery to intimidate the opposition. I strongly condemn such politics and stand with those facing harassment.”
