MARGAO
Support poured in for the anti-goondagiri front as youth from Salcete countryside expressed their solidarity with Navelkars who have vowed to take on goons disturbing the peace of the village head-on.
A meeting called by Alex Fernandes and others at Navelim on Sunday morning saw an impressive turnout of youth, not only from Navelim, but from the surrounding villages, who took a pledge to take the anti-goondagiri front to the villages.
The Sunday meeting comes exactly a week after a similar meeting was held in the village, wherein youth had come out to protest and condemn the brutal attack on Telaulim-Navelim youth Cenvic Pires by two accused persons, Ayub Sheikh and Anil Kumar.
Alex told the media that the meeting was called to bring together the youth not only from Navelim, but from the surrounding areas to take the fight against goons to its logical conclusion.
“I was told by my friends that goons and anti-social elements from outside come to Navelim and indulge in anti-social activities. We have decided to put a stop to this menace. We have now decided to take the goons head-on,” he said
Expressing his satisfaction over youth from Benaulim, Chinchinim and other villages showing their solidarity with the youth of Navelim, Alex maintained that the movement is non-political purely aimed at protecting the interests of the people. “We do not want the ex-MLA or the present MLA. Let them do their work and we will be doing ours,” he said.
Navelim resident George Barretto complimented Alex and his group for bringing the youth together to fight the anti-social elements. “People from Salcete have now come out to support the Navelim youth in the fight against goondas. Goondagiri will end if people from their wards and villages come out and face the goons,” he said.
Welcoming Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s directions to the police to crack a whip against goons, George said the government has done the right thing by invoking the NSA. “The NSA should be used to keep goondas at bay,” he said, while praising the Margao police for their swift action in arresting the two accused involved in the brutal attack on Cenvic Pires.
“The people of Navelim are peace-loving, but that does not mean that anyone can come to the village and indulge in anti-social activities. This should stop immediately or the people will stop the same,” he warned.
