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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Colva-parishioners-petition-CM-demand-firm-action/articleshow/5407970.cms
Colva parishioners petition CM, demand firm action
TNN 4 January 2010, 06:21am IST
PANAJI: The parish council members of Our Lady of Merces church,
Colva, have petitioned chief minister Digambar Kamat urging 'stern
action' against those responsible for the controversial CD "Dogui
Bodmas," which allegedly maligns the Colva parish priest and a
prominent politician.
Members of the Colva parish council presented the petition at Kamat's
residence at Margao on Saturday. Parish council members are trying to
meet Goa Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao on January 6, 2010.
But, a lot depends on the outcome on Monday of the bail application of
Calvert Gonsalves, the Colva panch member and the producer of the CD.
With police unable to find Gonsalves, they have already put out a
look-out notice for him.
Jason Andrade, moderator of the Colva parish council, told TOI,
"Tomorrow is the bail application. We will see what happens and
accordingly decide what to do next. If we see that nothing is
happening (Gonsalves is not arrested), people are likely to come out
on the streets again."
Andrade said that Colva parish council members met the chief minister
twice and that Kamat assured them to deal firmly with the matter. "We
feel you are duty bound to ensure that no person, especially public
representatives, assume liberty to violate the law of the land," their
petition stated.
Directly naming Gonsalves, the council petition stated, "He has not
only failed to respect the sentiments and ethos of the people of Goa
and his village in particular, but has also sought to deface the
constitutional tenets of secularism for which we feel that your
government must seek proper legal opinion and take appropriate action
against him and his other conspirators who have acted in common
intention."
The Colva parishioners have expressed "pain" that Kamat did not visit
Colva despite the recent agitation.
The petition repeatedly exhorts Kamat; "you need to personally look
into the matter and ensure that justice is done," or "your
administration must ensure that, in the quest of infusing confidence
among the people, the guilty are brought to book."
Ethel Lobo, Colva parishioner and former Margao Municipal Council
vice-chairperson, expressed dismay at the government's handling of the
problem.
Lobo also felt that if Gonsalves gets bail on Monday, the people may
come out on the streets once again. Demanding strict action against
the accused, Lobo said,''Today they have targetted the Catholic
church, tomorrow they will target another church and the day-after,
another religion. The government must take firm corrective measures
right away."
* * *
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/South-Goa-DM-gags-media/articleshow/5401280.cms
South Goa DM gags media
TNN 1 January 2010, 03:35am IST
PANAJI/MARGAO: The South Goa district magistrate, exercising powers
under Section 108 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, on Thursday
banned TV channels from broadcasting certain events pertaining to the
Colva agitation with immediate effect “to avoid further aggravation of
the issue”.
Signed by DM Prasanna Acharya, the order reads, “I hereby direct all
the TV channels broadcasting the issue concerning broadcasting (sic)
of the Colva episode ie release of CD by Calvert Gonsalves and its
offshoots by way of agitation in Colva village to discontinue the
broadcasting of this story forthwith in South Goa district failing
which appropriate proceedings will be initiated under the relevant
provisions of the law.”
Significantly the order comes at a time when the police has written to
the district administration underscoring the need to ban the sale and
distribution of the controversial CD.
Surprisingly, Section 108 of CrPC does not give the DM the power to
stop a channel from broadcasting a particular news report. The
section, which deals with “security for good behaviour from persons
disseminating seditious matters”, allows the DM to “require such
aperson to show cause why he should not be ordered to execute a bond,
with or without sureties, for his good behaviour for such period, not
exceeding one year...”
