Mud, stones thrown at minister as tension grips Goa village over Shivaji statue

The statue was installed on Sunday by a group of people, who identify themselves as ‘Shiv Premis’, on a private plot of land in the village. This led to tension in the area, with local residents alleging that the statue was installed illegally.

According to Sao Jose De Areal deputy sarpanch Valent Fernandez, one Sartaj Makandar from Margao had written to the village panchayat on February 9 requesting permission or a no-objection certificate (NOC) for putting up a 24-square-metre ‘plinth’ platform on his private property.

“There was no mention of any statue. The panchayat decided to conduct an inspection of the area and accordingly decide the next course of action,” Fernandez said.

However, at around 3 pm on Sunday, the ‘Shiv Premis’ brought a statue of Shivaji and placed it on the said private plot of land, he said, adding, “No permission had been given by the panchayat for installing a statue. While the documents of the plot were being verified, the authorities and police allowed the group to place the statue, claiming that the owner of the private property had given an NOC.”

Alleging that some “vested interests” were trying to disturb communal harmony in the village, he said, “The statue has been installed illegally, and must be removed. The minister (Dessai) instigated people by coming here… We are not against the statue, but the law of the land has to be followed,” he said.

The panchayat on Monday issued a notice under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act to the plot’s owner, Sartaj Makandar, stating that “illegal land filling” was being undertaken on two properties without the panchayat’s permission, and asking him to “stop illegal activities”.

On Sunday evening, minister Dessai, who is the MLA from Sanguem constituency, visited the site and told The Indian Express that he received information that some people had been “instigated politically” to create nuisance in the area.

He also visited the site on Monday – the birth anniversary of Shivaji. As Dessai was coming down the hill after offering prayers at the site of the statue, he was cornered by a group of village residents, who demanded clarity and questioned the legality of the statue.

Dessai said he visited the property on the invitation of the property owner. He said he tried to have a discussion with the residents who had gathered, and that he offered to discuss the matter at the deputy collector’s office. But, he alleged, the residents started heckling him, and pelted mud and stones.

“I believe the villagers were instigated by some political forces who wanted some trouble to take place… If they have any issue, they can approach the court… I have not filed any police complaint. I did not suffer any severe injury, and I don’t want to disturb the peace in the village. If I file a police complaint, many will gather at the police station and demand arrests, which will disrupt harmony,” Dessai said.