Police force mobilised to avert law and order situation; Residents question presence of JCBs, ground cleaning work in adjacent property
MARGAO
Amidst sloganeering ‘Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Bhavani’, a life size statue of Maratha Warrior Shivaji Maharaj was installed at Sao Jose de Areal village on Sunday, triggering tension in the locality after locals raised property issues and ground cleaning work in one property to pave way for the statue installation in another property.
As tension rent the air in the locality, police force led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer, DySP Santosh Desai was mobilised from the Margao sub-division to avert any law and order issue. Local residents along with Velim MLA Cruz Silva questioned the presence of JCB machinery at the site and asked the police to get the JCB withdrawn.
Areal Deputy Sarpanch Valente Fernandes along with the villagers were present at the site as the property and tenancy issues arose concerning an adjoining property, from where the statue was carried to another property for installation.
The property owner, however, told the media that he has issued NOC for the installation of Shivaji statue in his property on an area admeasuring 100 sq mtrs.
Shiv Premis led by Bajrang Dal leader Viraj Desai told the media that they have got the NOC from the owner of the property to use 100 sq mtrs area to install the Shivaji statue. “The Shiv Premis are not doing illegality. The owner had given the consent to install the statue in his property. The locals are raising property dispute in an adjoining property, which we are not concerned. We have not done any land filling, but have only cleaned up the area to take the statue to the site,” he said.
He added: “There is a cross in the property. We have no objection if the locals use the cleaned up way to celebrate the feast or litany.”
Claiming that the locals have raised the property issue with an agenda to block the Shivaji statue from coming up at the site, Viraj said the Shiv Premis will not remain quite if any attempt is made to vandalise or damage the statue.
He directed his ire at the Velim MLA Cruz Silva for raising objection to the Shivaji statue, reminding that the MLA had raised objections to the programmes on Shivaji Maharaj last year on the floor of the House.
The Velim MLA, however, said he rushed to Areal after he was informed by the ward member of Padribhatt that two JCB machines have come in the area for some development. “When I reached the site, the locals also raised the tenancy issues. We had told the police to remove the JCB, but the police and deputy collector remained silent,” he said.
