Sent to you by Gerry via Google Reader: Different strokes for different folks... via The Flesh Made Word by Gerard de Souza on 10/10/12
MoI agitation cases withdrawn, anti-mining activists’ stay GERARD DE SOUZA [email protected] PANJIM: On June 6, 2011, a galaxy of BJP workers led by the then Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar and other Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch leaders like Shashikala Kakodkar, hoodwinked police and blocked traffic at the busy O'Coqueiro Circle instead of at the originally scheduled Sai Service Junction where the police bandobast was in place. For more than three hours of the road blockade, the capital city came to a standstill, as harassed residents got frantic in what is now regarded as Goa's biggest ever traffic jam. The issue: The then Congress government had decided to allow primary school children to study in English, if they wanted to. Cases were registered against the Medium of Instruction protesters. On April 23, 2011, after peacefully protesting against illegal transportation of ore through their village for two days but seeing no action, tribal residents of Caurem- Pirla decided to block all mining traffic in protest, while allowing all other vehicles to pass. Police resorted to a brutal lathicharge on the demonstrators. Many were seriously injured including one senior citizen, and four women were physically assaulted. The issue: The then Congress government had paid no heed to their protests and they wanted to save their farmlands and water sources that had been devastated by illegal mining. About 95 people were detained at Quepem Police Station. Cases were registered against the antimining protesters. By May 15, 2012, when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was just into his third month in power, a meeting was held in his office attended by Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni, Law Secretary Pramod Kamat and Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar. The agenda for the meeting was a discussion on various criminal cases pending against politicians in various courts. The same day, a note was moved and the AG in his noting stated that a circular may be issued through the Director of Prosecution that the policy of the government is not to pursue criminal cases, provided they are not of a serious nature, against politicians involved in agitations. On receipt of the circular, the Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors moved swiftly and withdrew criminal cases pending in various courts against Ministers and MLAs ( including the current Speaker of the Goa Assembly). The justification given by Parrikar, then, was: “ I am of the opinion that cases which have been booked to harass somebody and are purely political in nature should be withdrawn… these agitations are on social, political or institutional issues… police have various other serious cases to investigate.” That sealed the fate of the cases against BJP leaders for their rasta roko on the MoI issue. And what of the cases against the protesters from Caurem- Pirla? Six months into power, and the Parrikar regime appears to have forgotten all about them ~ why has this principle applied in the MoI agitation not been extended to the villagers of Caurem? “Cases against 30- 40 people of this village are still on and we have to attend every hearing. Government advocates are defending the mine owners ( since these are cases filed by the State), but we have to shell out from our pockets to defend ourselves,” Salvador Dias, one of the protesters who was booked, told Herald. The government continues to prosecute these protestors at public cost. Commenting on the irony, anti- mining activist Abhijeet Prabhudessai said this was a reflection of the priorities of the government. “ If you ask activists like me, we're not bothered about the cases we have against us. We don't mind going to prison. But the villagers need justice. It’s obvious government is dragging its feet. The cases should be dropped. But our main priority is to get the Rs 35,000 crore looted in the mining scam back and to ensure those who perpetuated this criminality are prosecuted.” Things you can do from here: - Subscribe to The Flesh Made Word using Google Reader - Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
