NT Reporter
Margao
The Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Tuesday criticised Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) president Manoj Parab over the manner in which a protest against Section 39A of the TCP Act “escalated” into a march to TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane’s private residence. The party also backed its president Vijai Sardesai’s stand opposing the decision to proceed to the minister’s house.
A day after the Azad Maidan protest that later moved towards the minister’s residence, GFP general secretary Mohandas Lolienkar and joint secretary Vikas Bhagat addressed the media. Lolienkar said the party was not in favour of Section 39A and supported the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign, but criticised what he described as a “mob mentality” at the protest site. He said the protest reflected genuine public anger, but alleged that a few individuals took decisions that encouraged disorder, which he said weakened the agitation. Lolienkar also said that the GFP is aligned with the Congress as it is opposed to the BJP and does not favour an alliance with the RGP.
Bhagat said the initial call was for opposition parties to join the protest, but while a meeting was underway, a decision was taken to march to the minister’s private residence. He said Sardesai did not support the move and the GFP withdrew. Bhagat said that the delegation should instead have gone to the Chief Minister’s bungalow to submit demands, including scrapping Section 39A and seeking action against police personnel for allegedly manhandling Borkar. Explaining his stand, Sardesai said people should not be treated “like cattle” and raised concerns over safety, as women and children were present at the protest.
He said asking people to walk seven kilometres to a private residence without planning posed security risks.
