This evening 5/3/2006 when this writer visited the
trouble torn Tilamol Sanvordem Cacora Curchorem areas
at 1630 hrs the normal Sunday Bazaar at Sanvordem was
missing. The road from Tilamol to Sanvordem showed
signs of normalcy returning. There were some people
attending a Catholic funeral service before the
Tilamol junction as ususal. A national TV crew had
already covered the area and was uplinking with latest
reports to Headquarters at a nearby field.
There were several cars burnt into ashes the smell of
smouldered tyres seat covers was in the air. A car was
burnt near the Laximi stores -junction Another near
the Paramrapali building. Another near Praveena
industries. Several pick-ups damaged glass pieces
lying in smitheered state. A petrol pump bang
opposite the M/s Universal Petrol Pump of Mr
Durganand Sanvordencar was destroyed short of being
set on fire. A shop below Dr Kudchadkar Maternity
hospital was also damaged and the owners were
retrieving what they could from the embers. This four
road junction witnessed the cars lying burnt some
scooters motorcycles all destroyed a shop was burnt
goods ransacked. A house opposite the Central Bank was
damaged.
Towards the prayer house in Sanvordem there was a huge
contigent of Goa Police relaxed but on alert. There
were signs of damage some massive concrete blocks
placed on the street to act as road block. A posh
house belonging to a businessmen who is reputed to be
owning around 6 - 8 shops had all its windows
shattered the car at the porch was damaged at
Pontemol. Ironically from the entire rioting that
was witnessed it was clear that a particular minority
was the target.
This writer saw many of these middle class apartments
or houses amidst a cluster of other minority and
majority community but selective damage to them. The
Pontemol area has a sizeable minority holdings.
Just as the writer was in conversation with police
personnel to get updates a bus No TN 20L 3889 came
with a group of Rapid Action Force Police personnel
men and women. Today 5/3/2006 was the first batch
that had arrived as a precautionary measure.
Almost all shops at Sanvordem were shut down and few
people mostly in groups were seen. The shops near the
Railway station were open and there was some activity
of shopping etc in progress. There was a beeline at
the only petrol pump M/s Sanvordencar which was open
for the town motorist . There was Mr Ramrao Desai the
BJP MLA Curchorem talking to some people and the BJP
MLA from Fatorda and Mr Damodar (Damu) Naik in a white
Maruti Car who greeted this writer. Being a Sunday
there was not much movement.
It was apparent that the rioters targetted the movable
and immovable properties of only the minority
community and selectively, with abundant care not to
destroy that of others. Therefore the arson looting
was well organised, and most of it restricted to the
Curchorem Cacora Municipal areas. With stray damages
done to vehicles beyond the Tilamol Church.
Having witnessed the damage there the writer moved
down to Gudemol in the village Panchayat Sanvordem
beyond the bridge near the Curchorem Railway Station
which was the cause of action on night of 2/3/2006
Just before the a bus stop there was a convoy of
police all stationed and a KTC mini bus in tow. infact
KTC minibuses were used to deploy police personnel.
After preliminary exchange of pleasantries with the
young dynamic policemen mostly youth the writer was
shown the direction of the site where the structure
was demolished.
The place is away from the main road just a 50 metre
walk in an otherwise residential area. There is an
eating house with a sign board "PRATIK ETE JEVAN
MILE " food is available here, but a resident stated
that since the trouble began on the night of 2nd March
the same was closed. This place is frequented by the
truck owners who transport mineral ore to the nearby
plots for onward movement into railway stockingpoint.
Just near it there is what is believed to be an
upcoming construction of a "Madrassa" akin to a
primary school and a prayer house that was in the
process of being setup. The construction work began
two month ago. It is believed that the area was given
to a woman under the twenty point programme who in
turn had now agreed to use it for religious purpose.
This is unconfirmed. The panch members were not
available to confirm this niether would the others
talk seeing the police personnel around.
It is learnt that the despite the villagers opposing
the setting up of the same in a area which constitutes
of majority community the villagers did not take too
kindly to the minority demand to set up the "Madrassa"
there. One person who spoke in hushed tones stated
that the area had hardly around 60 of the minority
community and this highhandedness was untolerable.
It is realiably learnt that despite the orders of
demolition issued by the Village Panchayat Sanvordem a
stay was granted by the Deputy Director of Panchayats
and this infuriated the villagers further as they
believed that under a 1995 legislation to evict
trespassers from Government land the Deputy Director
Panchayat could not grant a stay and hence they
resorted to "suo moto" demolition. They were
confident that armed with the stay order the madrassa
would have been completed well before the monsoons.
Being a holiday this writer could not lay his hands on
the order and was promised one by Monday 6 March,
2006.
It is believed that once the destruction to this
structure which the villagers believe is illegal was
carried out the minority community members were
infuriated and they allegedly instigated the members
of their community to hold a "peaceful" protest.
Acccording to one member of this community who has
been living from well before Liberation of Goa he
stated that the issue should have been settled locally
and not on communal basis. Knowing that their numbers
were less they are belived to seek the support of
others of their community from outside Curchorem
Cacora. Curchorem and Sanvordem is essentially a
Hindu bastion with the Catholics next and the Moslems
the smallest. The call for a morcha apparently caused
hurtburning among the citizens of Curchorem Cacora and
they felt "THIS BEING A LOCAL ISSUE IT WAS FOR THE
LOCALS TO RESOLVE" and the attempt to whip up communal
sentiments was condemned. Moreover they felt if this
sort of interference by the community as a whole is
not checked they will have their way against the
wishes of the locals.
But the writer who spoke to some learnt that had the
permission not been granted to hold the peaceful rally
which in any case could not be held because the attack
preceded this rally there would have not been any
problem.
It is also a fact that the allegations of people
coming from outside Goa was incorrect. Many confessed
that they had not seen any one armed with swords as
rumoured. Others confirm that some groups of the
minority community did come from Vasco-da-Gama Margao
Housing Board area etc.. and these were "natives of
Karnataka -- Bhatkaal etc true " but were now resident
in Goa and were engaged in floor polishing interior
decorations fruit and vegetable vendors. In short
they were essentially the "bazaarkar" or traders and
others engaged in menial jobs. Therefore the rumours
of people coming from outside the state was not proved
thus far.
This writer made enquiries at Polem check post and at
the Margao Railway Station but they confirmed that
there was no noticeable sign of "unwelcome" groups.
Infact there were no orders issued to seal the borders
(as is normally done in such an eventuality )given by
the District authorities or the Home Department if the
report was true and even now at the time of writing.
The lessons to be learnt from this untoward incident
as others discussed with this writer are:
The village panchayats and the municipal authorities
should be sensitive to the wishes of the people when
granting permission for construction or setting up
establisments in the village or municipal areas;
Mostly elected representatives permit illegalities and
then the citizens are forced to face threats or risks
to life and property;
The wilful encroachment on Government lands or
unauthorised constructions is WITH FULL PATRONAGE OF
THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES and the police who are
mainly from Karwar and Maharastra even though now
settled in Goa tend to have a sympathetic attitude
towards the nuances of the migrants
Every elected representative in the ward to be made
responsible for any illegality -- it is opportune time
to bring about the necessary changes in the Municipal
and Village Panchayat acts, by an ordinance or a
legislation.
the elected representatives and the natives from
outside the State should note well that our villages
have an unique identity which is an embodiment of its
people customs and culture and any thing which does
not conform to the settings should not be encouraged.
Moreso if the gram sabhas do not approve of them.
In the event a communal issue flares up, the district
administration viz the District Collector/District
Magistrate and SP of the District should immediately
rush to the site take stock of the situation and
restrict the intervention of outsiders, in settling
the issue. In the present case it is seen while the
Gudemmol area was largely peaceful the neighbouring
Curchorem Cacora Municipal area suffered the brunt of
the issue, because of presence of outsiders.
There are rumours unconfirmed of a bandh but to a
large extent there are efforts being made by elected
representatives NOT to spread the virus to other
cities even though the fundamentalist of every
community would want to use this as an issue to
polarise the society.
There is no doubt that the alarming rate of migrants
from all over India now found in the 190 Village
Panchayats and 12 Municipalities and 1 Corporation IS
duly supported clandestinely by the elected
representatives as their vote banks will have to be
put to check sooner or later as otherwise tourism will
suffer and the demographic composition will give rise
to crimes etc.
from the Gudemol Curchorem Cacora end
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
Borda Margao Goa
9822158584
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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