A complaint has today been filed before the Goa Human Rights Commission over the 60th birthday celebrations of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar scheduled to be held on 13th December at the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) ground in Panaji.
Taking strong exception to Manohar Parrikar’s birthday celebrations being held on the SAG ground, it has been stated in the complaint that the Government not only has a constitutional but a moral obligation to see that the Sports ground is exclusively used for sports and fitness purpose and not for hosting of birthday celebrations and political parties, even if the same is supported by the Government. Citizens of Goa and more particularly the sportsmen and senior citizens of the State have a fundamental right for unobstructed use of the SAG ground, and the usage of the ground for holding of Manohar Parrikar’s birthday is violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The Bharatiya Janata Party which is currently the ruling party in Goa is on 13th December hosting at the SAG ground, the 60th Birthday celebration of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, despite that being the only ground left in Panaji, it is now being sought to be used for a political party organized birthday celebration function by erecting stages and pandals. The SAG ground is developed and maintained by the Government primarily and solely to be used for sports and recreational activity on a daily basis with coaching in various sports. That ground which is also used by health conscious citizens including senior citizens for exercises will be inaccessible to the public for a few days on account of Manohar Parrikar’s birthday celebration. Besides with around fifty thousand people expected to attend that birthday bash it is definitely going to damage the grass on the ground, which damage is going to take months to repair besides the people attending are likely to litter and answer nature’s call thereby further damaging the ground. The congregation of such a massive crowd of fifty thousand people and vehicles in the already very congested Panaji city will cause a disruption of normal life and endanger the lives of the citizens in violation of their Human Rights on account of VIP and VVIP movement on the roads disrupting traffic and causing inconvenience amongst others to the old and infirm with the basic human rights of the local citizens being deprived and denied, all on account of one birthday bash. Seeking the intervention of the Goa Human Rights Commission, it has been sought that the Chief Secretary, North Goa Collector and Director General of Police be directed to explain as to how e in violation of Human Rights they are allowing such a mega event in the city which could otherwise been held at other places including the Stadium near Goa Medical College at Bambolim or the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, but surely not the SAG Ground at Campal. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com