Sunday 20 June 2021

Goans shed fears of scarecrows and their shadows long back. NSA and police can’t deter us -- By Nisser Dias

Chief minister and his caged parrots
As Goa commemorated its 75th year of Revolution Day on (18th June 2021) non-Goan chief minister of Goa Pramod Sawant ordered the south Goa Collector to invoke National Security Act in the district.

The timing of the decision is very pertinent. BJP led government in Goa is on a sticky wicket because of its controversial decisions to bring about destruction of environment in the state.

This government want to suppress the voice of environmentalists, activists, writers and opposing political leaders six months before the Assembly elections.

National Security Act (NSA) is a draconian law that allows preventive detention for months, if authorities are satisfied that a person is a threat to national security or law and order.

Its wide sweeping powers give the government which is on a backfoot to target any individual who challenges the decisions of the government.

In 2019 Congress government in Madhya Pradesh under Kamal Nath booked 3 individuals under NSA for cow slaughter. How can this act be a threat to national security? BJP government in UP under Yogi Adityanath government used NSA against cow slaughters in 2020 and in 2021 against persons for spreading rumours of oxygen shortage to treat Covid-19 patients.

Governments are known to use this Act very loosely and liberally to shift the blame of mis-governance, mal-administration and divert attention.

Basically these security laws are designed to enhance the executive’s powers in ways that facilitate human rights abuses. And governments do use these laws to quell opposition and instil fear in people. Pramod Sawant government is no different and he draws his strength from his bosses in Delhi who have imposed undeclared emergency in the country.

Mis-managed Covid-19
pandemic

Chief minister should know that his days are numbered at the helm of affairs. He has been a total failure. He has mis-managed the finances of the state and dropped the state into dept trap. He has mis-managed the covid-19 pandemic causing deaths of thousands of citizens while he enjoys the perks of the office at the cost of tax payer.

Even shameful is his act of asking the police to initiate action on those persons criticizing them. This is like imposing military rule in the state.

It basically means people cannot criticize his mis-governance as they will be booked under NSA at the same time action will be initiated against persons criticizing the police.

Thus all activists, environmentalists, political opponents, writers and even journalists have to tread carefully and not oppose government decisions of destroying people lives by transporting coal, destruction of environment by allowing power project, double tracking of railway line and highway through eco-sensitive, bio-diversity rich Mollem, or government will let the police to hound you with sedition charges or NSA or Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)

In this era of BJP rule at the centre and state, the police force has been reduced caged parrots. Be it the Director General of Police and the ranks below they act as puppets when strings are pulled.

Shel-Melaulim send police 
packing.
 Lest the government and the police forget, in January this year   people of Sattari taluka challenged and chased the police away   and forced Sawant government to shelve setting up of IIT in   Shel-Melaulim, even though chief minister was determined to go   ahead with the project.

 Pramod Sawant has utterly failed as chief minister; he does not   understand administration, does not understand finance, does   not understand law and order and has no clue of what       governance is all about.

And for that reason he wants to impose NSA and use police instil fear in people before the elections in February 2022.

But Pramod Sawant unlike you, Goans drove the Portuguese to claim their land and in the process shed our fears.

We will not be quelled by scarecrows like you chief minister and your shadows (police).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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