NT Reporter
Panaji
The state government has constituted a three-member fact-finding committee to investigate the alleged unlawful gathering held outside the residence of Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vishwajit Rane at Dona Paula on February 24.
The fact-finding committee is headed by Secretary (Revenue) Sandip Jacques, with South Goa Collector Egna Cletus as member and IPS officer Tikam Singh Verma as member secretary.
The panel has been tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the gathering and submitting its report to the government. The panel will also look into the sequence of events and the security arrangements in place at the time of the incident.
The government decided to constitute the committee following concerns raised over the manner in which the crowd assembled outside the minister’s residence. The incident drew attention as questions were raised regarding law and order and the role of police in preventing such gatherings.
Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ministers and MLAs had also pressed for action against the protesters for marching at the minister’s residence.
The committee is expected to examine whether adequate preventive measures were taken by police and if there were any shortcomings in maintaining security and public order.
It may be noted that the protesters, who had assembled at the Azad Maidan in Panaji to support St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar had suddenly decided to take a morcha to the private residence of Rane. Borkar was on a hunger strike demanding scrapping of Section 39(A) of the TCP Act.
Following the protest, the police registered an FIR against the Opposition MLAs, including the Leader of the Opposition, and several other people and activists and started summoning them to record their statements.
It may be noted that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had given an assurance to Borkar that the cases against the protesters would not be pursued.
