PANAJI
Questioning Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for dragging his name and seeking to equate his issue with that of Subhash Velingkar, Chicalim Parish Priest Fr Bolmax Pereira said the two issues were entirely different.
“Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is misleading everyone through his statement and manipulating this whole issue of religious sentiments and punishments. Now that he has dragged my name, I want to put forth truth before the people of Goa about what was the so-called action meted out to me,” Fr Bolmax told The Goan.
Fr Bolmax insisted that he was neither arrested nor was there an arrest warrant issued against him.
“Just to put it on record, I was granted anticipatory bail by the court in case I was arrested. However, there was no ground for arrest and therefore police never arrested me,” said Fr Bolmax.
“The false FIR registered against me at Vasco Police Station was quashed and set aside by honourable high court on April 12, thereby upholding my freedom of speech which does not invite any criminal action against me.”
“Let the CM come clean on what action he has taken against those who really attempted to create communal discord and not try to equate my matter with that of Velingkar. The current issue about Velingkar is a clear case of attempt of manipulation of facts to incite and create communal disharmony and not at all similar to the facts of my case,” Fr Bolmax added.
Earlier on Saturday evening, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in the face of the tension over the protests, had assured action against Subhash Velingkar just as was done in the case of Fr Bolmax Pereira at Sancoale.
"Subhash Velingkar will not go free without any action. He will face the same action as was initiated against Father Bolmax," Sawant said in a statement even as he appealed to people protesting to refrain from blocking roads and taking law in their hands.
"Don't create communal tension in the State. Everyone will be given same justice," Sawant had told media persons in Panaji.
