“Utt Goenkara” (uttgoenkara.org) the Mapusa based fledging collective “to unite
–save Goa” organized a symposium at the Institute Menezes Braganza hall at
Panaji, this Sunday morning 1048 IST 2nd March, 2008 under its convenor Mr
Aires Rodrigues (Adv) and leading social activist to deliberate on what they
termed as "Day of Dark deeds" 19th February, 2008
It was the day when the episode began due to inaction of the police to save a
victim Ralph Godinho who was assaulted by a gang belonging to the infamous
Babani Sheikh from Taleigao now owing allegiance to the ex-Minister Mr Somnath
Zuarkar. It was the day when the Police had the temerity to ask the assailants
to carry the assaulted victim Ralph who happened to be the “supporter “ of the
Taleigao MLA Mr Antanasio (Babush) Monseratte, to the Police station in their
own vehicle for fear of being charged of themselves assaulting the victim in
police custody instead of they playing the role of good samaritan.
It was the day when a mob attacked the Panaji Police Station (located Behind
the Police Headquarters), the police ransacking the “Casa Monserate” at
Taleigao in retaliation. When later they took in custody Amit the innocent
teenaged son of Mr Atanasio (Babush ) Monseratte and his friend, from their
residence at night , assaulted them mercilessly and detained them. It was also
the day the Monserates both Mr. Antanasio and Ms Jennifer both elected
representatives of the Goa Legislative Assembly and the Zilla Panchayat
respectively spent two nights in police custody and judicial custody
respectively for "attacking" (though one went to demand the release of the
victim Ryan Godinho and the other to enquire of her son ) the police station
on that day. It was also the day when the Mayor of the Corporation of the City
of Panaji Mr Tony Rodrigues the first citizen of the capital city of Panaji
felt the brunt of the baton on his bulky torso and lay
recuperating in the Vintage Hospital Campal in a pitiable state.
After the brief introduction by ex-PSU student activist Mr Amol Navelkar there
was visual a display of a CD by a local cable network showing the Police
ransacking the 'Casa Monseratte" at Taleigao brutal attack wounds on Master
Amit son of Mr Antanasio Monseratte and one Michael Fernandes the son of late
Francisco (Bashic) Branco r/o of Tambdi Matti St Inez and ex Mayor of Panjim
Municipal Council in the early 80’s a close friend of the Monserattes. There
was also a scene of a coward police officer portraying his gun and firing out
of the office while the male compatriots were seen indoors shutting themselves
from the mob onslaught and an immobilised police being dragged into van.
Mr Jeevan Mayekar from Mapusa another ex-Progressive Students Union activist
who was beaten black and blue by the Police and written of as dead in the late
70’s blamed the inaction of the Police in the Ryan Godinho case for the events
which culminated in the attack of the Police station. He clearly stated that
the Home Minister Mr Ravi Naik is involved and cited an instance when “Matka” a
game of numbers gambling was threatened to be stopped at Mapusa if the “hafta”
( read –returns) are not hiked to Rs.35 lacs from the existing Rs 25 lacs
Adv Anacleto Viegas a leading criminal lawyer from Margao, accused the Chief
Minister Mr Digamber Kamat the Home Minister Mr Ravi Sitaram Naik for abetting
with the police officials who formed an “unlawful assembly” and in vengeance
ransacked the residence of the Monserrattes. He clearly demanded that the
police involved should be framed, tried and convicted for dereliction of their
onerous duties as law enforcing authorities. Adv. Viegas also castigated Mr
Santoba Rao Desai the ex supercop at Margao (also one of the speakers on the
dais ) who resigned in the late eighties and was responsible for manhandling
and ruthlessly assaulting an elected representative of Loutolim Assembly Mr
Radharao Gracias (Adv) of Loutolim Assembly at the height of the medium of
instruction agitation at Lohia Maidan .
Mr Floriano Lobo of Moira and Goa Suraj party who had the distinction of
unsuccessfully contesting ( he lost his deposit ) against the Taleigao MLA Mr
Antansio (Babush) Monseratte admitted that the Police politician nexus should
be totally eliminated.
Mr Sanjay Harmalkar ex Shiv Sena leader in Goa implored upon the citizens to
condemn such police atrocities quoting the oft repeated phrase seen on most
Catholic burial grounds “aiz maca faleam tuca” he said the citizens should take
note of the police brutalities that could occur to any one if the law enforcing
authorities opt for vengeance in the way they did on the night of 19th
February, 2008
Dr. Wilfred Mesquita,ex Minister and ex MLA Vasco-da-Gama the unsuccessful BJP
candidate in the Mormugao Parliamentary constituency, felt that it was not
necessary to shed tears only for the 19th February 2008 episode. He gave an
instance when he himself was witness to the brutal assault by police on the
attorney of Chicalim communidade Mr Ashok Sankhwalkar nee Mendes when in the
presence of the gathering at a Gram Sabha in Chicalim the police picked him up
and roughed him. In another incident the same attorney who went to prevent the
encroachment of the area taken over by the Sea Scan Maritime Academy he was a
victim of police atrocities. He blamed the Ministers for their influence over
the Police. The police are required to pay for their entry into service for
postings for transfers and for promotion in such a situation the police force
becomes subservient to the whims and fancies of the Minister he said . He said
that in the 19th February, 2008
incident there was a violation of Human Rights and police had no reason to
ransack the Casa Monseratte. He said the SC guidelines to revamp the police
administration needs to be followed in letter and spirit to avert a repeat of
such incidents.
Mr Juino D Souza (Adv) Mumbai based now resident in Alto Porvorim expressed
surprised over the ineffectiveness of the State Police Commission and the Goa
State Police Authority Commission. Goa took the credit for being the first to
set up these bodies after the SC directives to wean away the politico-police
nexus, but unfortunately he stated that the ex Judge Dr Eurico Silva of Borda
Margao who was appointed to this office has not being provided the proper
infrastructure to work and hence setting up of this office prima facie loses
its effectiveness. He made mention of one Mr C J Borges ex Police official
sitting amidst the audience who felt that the Portuguese were more disciplined
in their dealings with the public
Mr. Avinash Bhonsle the affable corporator of the Corporation of the City of
Panaji who has an eye on the top seat of the Corporation minced no words when
he said that as of now the Police 80% of which constitutes the constabulary is
the private property of the politicians who use them for their endless personal
and domestic chores.
Mr. Santoba Desai ex cop who resigned after the then Home Minister directed him
to arrest his opponents for “playing rummy” which according to him did not
constitute gambling felt that nothing short of a CBI enquiry will lead to the
truth of the events behind the 19th February, 2008. He blamed the Monserattes
as well as the Police for both went beyond the realm of their respective
jurisdictions . He said that there was a complete lapse of Police intelligence.
Why was the morcha not stopped atleast 100 metres away from the Police station
he asked and admitted that this itself was a grave lapse. Apparently in a snide
counter reaction to Mr Viegas (Adv) allegations he admitted that there may have
been some aberrations in his tenure as a Police officer but he said according
to his conscience he has never had an ocassion to be ruthless in attacking any
law abiding citizen. He however disclosed that he had the distinction of
having atleast 14 top
politico personalities taken to police custody some of whom are Ministers
today.
Mr Anand Madgavkar a resident of Taleigao and proprietor of a salvaging firm,
felt that the police are unfortunate. They pay for their jobs and recover the
same from the Matka agents or the bus operators . There is a need for having a
proper reforms for the state. It was wrong to mount an attack on the Police
station no matter the provocation. If the police acted on the earlier assault
on the INC Youth Congress members things could have been different.
Ex Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Mr Tomazinho Cardozo demanded that
there is a need for establishing an apolitical forum right from village level
to the top to act as an intermediary between the police and the citizen leaving
the politicians out.
Ms Nirmala Sawant ex INC Minister for Power from Cumbarjua spoke of police
atrocities on women as a routine affair and narrated an instance where a press
reported sought her assistance when a women was detained at the Old Goa Police
station without any reason. Even during her last unsuccessful electoral battle
she had police at her election campaign spying on her activities which resulted
in her defeat. She warned that leaving the Police with unbridled powers would
also not be savoury to the citizens and therefore indirectly cautioned those
that were totally against political interference should stand forewarned.
Dr. J C Almeida ex Development Commissioner and acting Chief Secretary of Goa
narrated how on two occasions one the Ramponkars agitation and the other
students bus (50% ) concession issue he had the courage of conviction to draw a
line between the role of the politicians and the bureaucracy. He said then
there were just four ministers and just nine secretaries to the Government of
Goa He was also shocked to learn that neither the District Magistrate nor the
Sub Divisional Police Magistrate who ought to have been present and take stock
of the situation were either absent or fled from the scene aaparently referring
to Mr. Swapnil Naik who is reported to have fled from the scene on the night of
19th February, 2008 fearing the wrath of the nearly 300 odd mob vending from
Taleigao to the Panaji Police station. Dr Almeida was of the view that with UT
status there was better control over the Politicos and the police and wondered
whether statehood was a
necessity or an evil.
Summing up the events for the day it appeared that there was a general
consensus on
a) the police inaction led to the events of the 19th February, 2008
b) there are similar incidents happening in Goa everyday and this incident
should not be viewed in isolation
c) the attack on the police station and the ransacking of the residence came in
for bitter attack from most of the participants
d) demand for a judicial or CBI enquiry is a must to unearth the realities.
Mr Yatin Naik ( Adv) in his vote of thanks stated in a humorous manner that
unlike the British cop (Bobby) who is always courteous in the discharge of
their duty even when it comes to arresting a suspect ; the Police in Goa use
filthy and abusive language to even a suspect . There is a need to change this
mind set of the Police . He narrated yet another side of the British Police
who are refrained from disclosing their identities when not on duties for this
could be viewed as trying to influence the citizen and hence they could be
pulled up if complaints were lodged against them. In Goa the police imposes
his authority on unsuspecting persons even outside duty hours to coerce the
citizen into submission of their unlawful demands.
Sidelights
a) most of the utt Goenkara members appear to constitute of ex Progressive
Students Union of the late 70's apparently now owing alleigance to the BJP
b) there was a mention by one of the speakers of the police brutality on one
student leader Moses who was dragged on the streets to the Police station
c) there was a demand of imposition of Presidents rule because niether the
Governor nor the ruling dispensation owe alleigance to the Constitution as in
the last three years since 2nd February, 2005 there have been highest number of
agitations Public interest litigations and even after nine months the present
coalition is yet to administer.
d) there were fears expressed by some outside that the charges under section
143, 147 149 332, 333 324 325 3427 307 read with 120 B of the IPC and section
3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property against the Monserattes, the
unlawful assembly which also includes the Mayor some corporators could cause
legal implications to their political careers.
e) the CD is now being circulated to those desirous.
f) the sudden presence of Dy SP Deu Banaulikar another ex PSU leader caused
some ruffle when asked to speak he shied away saying he was on deputation to
the venue.
g) many believe that the failure of the Police to accept complaints from
affected citizens is the cause of all that the Police face in the instant case
the failure of the police to register the complaint of son of Monseratte is
under judicial review.
h) several in the audience who spoke to this writer spoke of the brutalities of
Mohan Naik SDPO Panaji Police station while at Old Goa and that of Santoba
Desai at Margao during the Konkani agitation.
i) audience members felt that the wives relatives of policemen and hired
migrant workers who held a rally of 30 -35 to condemn the brutality on
policepersons on 19th February,2008 was at the instigation of SDPO Mr Mohan Naik
j) use of the Indian Reserve Police Battalion for day to day policing was
condemned.
k) Youthful Yatin Naik (Adv) sporting a " Che Guevera revolutionary Chiliean
leader "T shirt vitriolic comments on the Police in Goa invoked guffaws of
laughter from the audience.
l) the incident involving Ralph Godinho at the gambling den at the Cidade de
Goa of the Timblos who have an on going legal battle with the Monserattes is
also cited as the precursor to these gang wars and incident of 19th February,
2008.
m) the meet was well attended but many of the NGO's and vocal social activists
normally present were inconspicous by their absence.
n) shockingly one senior citizen expressed his resentment that Catholic
Ministers MLA's and elected representatives have always faced the police brunt,
and humiliation. Is there a post liberation sinister design to eliminate the
voice of the Catholics he wondered.
from the Institute Menezes Branganza hall
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
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