‘Parrikar has failed to perform his duty’

A fact-finding report endorsed by the Goa church has accused chief minister Manohar Parrikar of gross negligence of his constitutional duty, especially in view of hate speeches made by right-wing leaders at an All India Hindu Convention in June this year.

Released by a church-run NGO named Council for Social Justice and Peace, the report was investigating a series of desecrations in churches which occurred in Goa in June and July this year.

The report was released by the church a day ahead of the bypolls which will witness Parrikar contesting from Panaji to get elected to the Goa legislative assembly. It comes days after the church’s periodical compared the NDA rule in the country to the “Nazi regime”.

The Goa police has arrested 53-year-old taxi driver Francis Pereira in connection with the desecration of over 60 crosses as well as two Hindu idols across Goa. Later, a native of Jharkhand was also tracked down by the Goa police for the desecration of 12 crosses in Ponda subdistrict’s Madkai constituency.

“It is too much of a co-incidence that two madmen are desecrating crosses in Goa without a motive…” the report stated.

It also rebutted the police theory that a herd of cattle was responsible for breaking cross at Chimbel village last month.

“Clearly, there is an angle that even the police may be hiding evidence. Chimbel (incident) leaves room for doubt in citizen minds of political manipulation and possible police complicity...” says the report.

It also faults Parrikar for not taking action. “The chief minister of Goa, in gross negligence of his Constitutional duty, acquiesced the hate crimes on the ground of freedom of expression stating that he was not responsible for every statement made by any person.”