Politicos condemn attack on activists

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-15
PANAJI - Various political leaders on Tuesday condemned the brutal assault on social activist, Mr Aires Rodrigues and historian, Mr Prajal Sakhardande.
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, a coalition partner in the Digambar Kamat government asked the Congress High Command to seriously think about a new “responsible” Home Minister for Goa as the home department has dismally failed to put a leash on the criminal activities continuing the state.
The MGP president, Mr Pandurang Raut said that the attack will create fear among the common man about their security. He also appealed to the government to immediately wake up from its deep slumber and falsify the public perception that the government has sold itself to anti-social elements.
The Power Minister, Mr Aleixo Sequeira said that such acts should be condemned by one and all and added that he had spoken to the Chief Minister on the issue. “Setting allegiances apart we should all condemn this,” he said adding “we all had a role to play in this.”
The former Union minister, Mr Ramakant Khalap said that common man should have a free and fair way of living and everyone should be able to move freely.
The former minister for tourism and the general secretary of the United Goans Democratic Party, Mr Matanhy Saldanha, strongly condemned the brutal attack on Mr Rodrigues and Mr Sakhardande and said that it was disgraceful that Goa has reached the nadir of lawlessness and the government alone, especially the Home Minister, is responsible for this unacceptable situation in the democratic and civilized state.
The Goa Su-Raj Party has also expressed shock at the incident and held that the assault on Mr Aires Rodrigues was directly linked to the ongoing investigations in the matter of a member of the family of Goa’s Education Minister having been involved in a cell-phone oriented sexual harassment of a German citizen residing in Goa.
The Youth Congress has also condemned the brutal attack on social activist and lawyer, Mr Aires Rodrigues and historian, Mr Prajal Sakhardande. The GPYC has appealed to the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat and the Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik to act swiftly and to arrest the culprits and the brain behind the brutal attack.
Meanwhile, the former president of the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress, Mr Girish Chodankar has strongly condemned the brutal attack on Mr Rodrigues and Mr Sakhardande by cowards with swords and choppers and said that the attack was a means to suppress the voice of Mr Rodrigues, who has been using all democratic means to expose misdeeds.
He said, there cannot be any justification for the attack on social activist and everyone involved in it should be punished. He urged the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat and the Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik to act tough to regain the people’s confidence.