Goonda raj still exists in Goa By Nisser Dias nisserdias at gmail.com SMS to 9422437029
The recent assault on the junior engineer (JE) attached to the Electricity department by two youth both allegedly related to PWD minister and Navelim MLA Churchill Alemao are an indication of things to come in the near future if constituents cast their ballot to such representatives.
There is always an underlying fear of stringent retribution if a government employee is abused or assaulted and that while on duty. Infact, the court has recently convicted and sentenced former Tourism minister and Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco to undergo imprisonment of one year for assaulting a JE at his residence.
However though, this example did not deter Herculean D’costa and Yuri Ferrao from assaulting junior engineer Alvito Fernandes. These two youth took law into their hands because they very well know that they have two uncles in the government who could bend the law, influence the police and even the witnesses. Infact immediately after the assault, it is alleged that Churchill Alemao tried to hush up the case by asking Power minister Alexio Sequeira to request the JE not to lodge a police complaint. Nevertheless, the JEs from various areas united together and filed a complaint.
Here lies the irony and double standards of our politicians. When Mickky Pacheco had assaulted a JE, Power minister stood by his staff and saw to it that justice was done, but in the recent case the same power minister was allegedly requesting the JE not even to lodge a complaint with the police. It is well know that the Alexio Sequeira is going to have tough contest on his hands and Mickky has made it crystal clear that he is contesting in Nuvem assembly constituency.
Be that as it may, the two youth Herculean and Yuri very well know that they cannot assault a government servant or rather take law into their hands as the former is the son of Carmona sarpanch while the latter is the son of former panch member of the Carmona. Incidentally both the accused are related to Churchill Alemao. This is not the first time that Yuri and his brother Danzy has taken the law into their hands. They were instrumental in assaulting Orlando D’silva a Carmona panch member who has strongly opposing Raheja mega project in the village. Infact this assault was filmed by electronic media journalist present at the meeting. The Ferrao brothers have become habitual offenders and assaulters because they have an uncle who was named by a senior journalist as the Godfather General of Goondas.
Of course the goonda raj of yesteryears has not been wiped out, it is also not dormant. The extortions, threats, bribery continues subtly. As long as Churchill Alemao and his clan is in politics there is bound to the goonda raj. Of course the Alemao family has made politics their business and now to extract a bigger piece of the pie called Goa and Goans, two more family members are being sought to the added in the assembly. One is an advocate with practice and the other is supposed to be pilot (pilot’s licence can bought) who does not seem to get an entry into any airlines. The other reason could be that both the new entrants have realized that their uneducated fathers have made fortune by being in local politics in Goa.
Coming back to the goonda raj, family members and friends of the family members of the strongman of Varca have a ball of a time in most of the five star hotels in along the coastal belt of Salcete – all free of cost and if any manager, steward or waiter happen to offer the bill, the staff is assaulted. As recent as this a croupier lost his job and is currently on his way to his home, allegedly because members of the family played in the casino on credit to the tune of Rs. 1.60 lakhs and walked off.
SUV belonging to the Alemao family has been attached by the Colva police for allegedly knocking down a two wheeler rider. Everybody know who drives this car, but the police are said to be in the process of identifying the accused. Naturally to my mind the Alemao will prop-up some innocent man to take the blame and the sons of the Alemao clan will go scot free. This is the money power, muscle power and influence Alemao’s wield with ill-gotten wealth.
The questions before us today, will the accused that assaulted JE Alvito Fernandes be brought to book? Will this case ever reach the court of law? Will the police ensure that the accused are convicted just like in Mickky Pacheco’s case? Will one of the accused who is employed on a cruise liner be allowed to leave the country? Will junior engineer Alvito stand-up to the pressures of the ministers and not withdraw his complaint from the police station or give false testimony in the court in fear of bad posting, harassments or transfers? Will Alvito file a criminal petition in the court of law if the police fail to do it? Will Alvito repeat what Orlando da Silva did – take on the Alemaos? (ENDS)
===================================================== First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - July 7, 2011
