OLD GOA
Activists have condemned the statements of Power Minister Mauvin Goudino, St Cruz MLA Rudolf Fernandes and former Aldona MLA Glen Ticlo that there is no need for setting up Minority Commission in Goa.
Addressing reporters at Azad Maidan on Tuesday, activists Adv Pratima Coutinho and Matthew Almeida, in fact, said that there is need for Minority Commission in the State as there is increase in incidence of targeting of minorities on one pretext or the other by various outfits.
It may be recalled that Godinho, Fernandes and Ticlo, reacting to the Azad Maidan meeting, had said that there are already various departments looking after the welfare of the minorities and setting up of Minority Commission will only lead to duplication.
The trio had also opined that there is no danger to communal harmony prevalent in the State.
Chiding the trio, Adv. Coutinho cited various incidents where the minorities have been targeted, the recent one relating to a Christian school where members of a certain outfit had barged the institution on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
"When such incidents happen, there is no redressal forum. Therefore, there is a need for Minority Commission so that the victims approach the Commission for justice," Coutinho added while stating that, at present, the minorities do not have any forum to seek justice.
"If a Minority Commission is established in other states, then why the same is not set up in the State?" she questioned.
Meanwhile, former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes said that the BJP minority leaders are ignorant of the ground reality due to which they made such statements.
"They are enjoying the perks and benefits of being part of the BJP government and are in no way connected with the recent happenings of attempts to disturb communal harmony in the State," Gomes said.
He reiterated that an independent Minority Commission is the need of the hour to tackle the growing communal intolerance in Goa.
