Margao: Following the alleged derogatory statements made by right-wing speaker and Youtuber Gautam Khattar against St Francis Xavier, political parties and civil society have criticised police over the handling of the similar Subhash Velingkar case in 2024.
In October 2024, Velingkar, a former RSS leader, had stirred controversy over the title of ‘Goencho Saib’. Police had failed to initiate action at the time and Velingkar eventually got bail, while civil society members who protested demanding his arrest were later booked for unlawful assembly and rioting.
On Monday, members of political parties and citizens gathered at the South Goa district police headquarters, where police came in for criticism over the handling the Velingkar case.
“Police had left the door open for others to come to Goa and make derogatory statements against St Francis Xavier. Had police acted sternly earlier, nobody
would have had the courage to hurt the sentiments of Goans with such irresponsible comments,” said Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa, demanding that Khattar be put behind bars and an example set to prevent repetition of such incidents.
Civil society members who also met South Goa Superintendent of Police Santosh Dessai said Velingkar, who had hurt the religious sentiments of minorities, was given VIP treatment, while citizens who raised their voice were booked. They stated that the state machinery had failed the people then.
Dessai said police had filed a chargesheet against Velingkar and the matter is sub judice.
