PANAJI
Leaders of the Opposition Congress were on Saturday detained by the police after they gathered at the Azad Maidan to protest and demand a judicial probe into the jobs-for-cash scam and were barred from holding protests in Panaji for six months.
The ban order has been issued by Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
GPCC President Amit Patkar said a magistrate released them after day-long detention on furnishing personal bonds but also imposed on 23 of them "unjust" conditions including debarring them from holding protests in Panaji for the next six months.
He said it is an attempt by the government to stifle their voice and suppress dissent.
"We will not be cowed down by such unconstitutional acts of the government," Patkar said.
Earlier in the day the Congress protesters, including South Goa MP, Captain Viriato Fernandes were protesting at the iconic Azad Maidan demanding a judicial probe into the job-for-cash scam when they were detained.
Fernandes in a Facebook post said: "Today, myself along with Amit Patkar,GPCC functionaries, Mahila Congress leaders, Youth Congress leaders, NSUI leaders & party supporters are detained by Goa Police & are being taken to unknown location, for protesting against the jobs-for-cash scam."
Speaking to the media Patkar said Goa's youth deserve fair opportunities and not fraud and favoritism.
"We will not rest until justice is served,” Patkar said even as AICC Goa Desk incharge Dr Anjali Nimbalkar asserted that only an independent body should scrutinise the government's role in the jobs-for-cash scam.
"The BJP treats jobs as commodities for sale. Ministers, their personal assistants, and even senior officials are involved in this scam. We demand a white paper on current government vacancies and an independent judicial inquiry under a High Court judge," he said.
The Congress also condemned inaction against senior officials implicated in the scam. "Despite clear evidence, the CM has failed to ensure accountability. If he cannot act, he must resign," Patkar demanded.
South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes raised apprehensions that if they don’t speak out, government will continue to engage in alleged scams. "Our fight will continue,” he said.
Meanwhile questions were raised over the absence of all the three Congress MLAs at the protest. Nimbalkar, nonetheless said Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao is travelling while Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares-Ferreira and Quepem MLA Altone D'Costa were held up with work in their constituencies.
Earlier today, police were deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order.
