The Aam Aadmi Party has slammed the BJP Govt for misusing state machinery to suppress democratic protests. Stating that AAP’s “Let’s Clean Goa Politics” campaign had completely rattled the BJP, State Convenor Rahul Mhambre castigated the CM Pramod Sawant for resorting to state-sponsored “dadagiri” against AAP workers today in Nuvem.
Earlier today, more than 300 AAP volunteers marched to the Nuvem MLA Wilfred DSa’s house in a spirited protest against the assault on AAP State Vice-President Adv. Pratima Coutinho and other AAP volunteers yesterday. The protestors were stopped at a distance from the MLAs house by about 100 police personnel armed with lathis and barricades.
“We explained to the PI that this was a peaceful protest against the violence by the MLA’s goons yesterday. We only wanted a delegation of 5 people to meet the MLA to demand an apology. However it was obvious that the PI was under strict instructions from the BJP Govt, and he regretted that he was not allowed to entertain any such request” Mhambre said.
Unfortunately, when some of Wilfred DSa’s goons approached the AAP protestors from behind the police barricades, the PI turned a blind eye to their provocations. There was a repetition of yesterday act of violence when the MLA’s goons began to fling things at the protestors, under complete police protection. When the AAP protestors attempted to burn an effigy of the MLA, the PI himself shockingly assisted DSa’s goons in forcibly confiscating the effigy.
“It is a shame that Babashan was hiding from me on both days. Yesterday, he sent his wife and other ladies to attack us. Today too, he did not have the guts to meet me himself and apologise for his behaviour. Instead he sent his goons to attack us, this time under full police protection. This is nothing but state-sponsored dadagiri”, Coutinho mocked.
AAP leaders including Vice-President Adv. Surel Tilve, Ernest Morais from Nuvem, newly-joined leader Prashant Naik from Cuncolim, Cecille Rodrigues, Capt. Venzy Viegas, Valmiki Naik, Cruz Silva, Patricia Fernandes and many others were present at the protest.