VALPOI/OLD GOA
The Revolutionary Goans Party’s (RGP) Padyatra to create awareness on Mhadei turned into a tense confrontation between the police and RGP supporters, after the Padyatra was stopped twice in Thane and Koparde in Sattari on Monday evening.
Initially, the Padyatra was stopped by the police at the starting point in Thane-Sattari itself, with the police citing that complaint has been received from the local panchayat.
The police informed that the panchayat has complained about the Padyatra to the deputy collector, based on which the Padyatra was stopped.
The Padyatra was scheduled to start from the panchayat ground in Thane at 4 pm, but before the Padyatra could start, a Sattari police team, the Deputy Collector and Mamlatdar rushed to the spot and stopped the Padyatra.
RGP supremo Manoj Parab, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar and other party office bearers strongly objected to the decision by officials to stop the Padyatra.
Speaking to reporters, RGP supremo Manoj Parab informed that their Padyatra was stopped by the police upon complaint of the local panchayat to the deputy collector.
“We questioned the mamlatdar and the police under which section of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act does the panchayat have powers to complain to the deputy collector. We are using the PWD road for the Padyatra and during our earlier Padyatra on coal, we faced no such objection. So how come we are asked to stop the Padyatra,” questioned Parab.
After a delay of over two hours, the Padyatra started at Thane at about 7.30 pm and after walking for about 4 kms, the Padyatra was again stopped at Koparde.
This time, the police informed that some locals have complained about the possibility of law and order problem if the Padyatra was allowed to enter their village.
A fresh confrontation ensued with the administration officials, with Parab and St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar demanding to know the names of the locals who have stopped their Padyatra.
Sattari Deputy Collector Praveen Parab and Valpoi Police Inspector Prajyot Phadte were engaged in detailed discussions with the RGP leaders.
The RGP supporters along with Parab and MLA Borkar then squatted on the road in protest and started shouting slogans on the need to protect Mhadei. The RGP supporters refused to disperse from the site as they demanded to know the names of the locals who complained against their Padyatra.
As the situation continued to remain tense, added police force was rushed to Koparde to take control of the situation.
