It was beyond shocking to observe how our CM shouted, "arrest them, arrest them." to the Goa assembly marshals to detain peaceful protestors in the visitors' gallery who were simply holding placards demanding justice. The CM also blamed the opposition saying that the protestors (who turned out to be BJP workers !) had been brought to the assembly by them. Another senior minister was alarmed about potential harm to mantris if activists resorted to stone pelting. Later during the day peaceful protestors including an MP and opposition MLAs were herded like cattle from Lohia Maidan and taken to Margao police station, their only crime being that they were demonstrating against the Mirabag bandhara and section 39A. Let us not forget how MLA Viresh Borkar was carried down three floors banging and bruised by the police simply for demanding what is right. There was no talk in the assembly of reading down of the patently illegal Sec 39A. The recent events have shown that with a fascist government at the helm, the space for dissent is rapidly shrinking. The citizens need to stay united and see their just agitation to its logical conclusion.
