Lok Sabha MP and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) Goa In-charge Mahua Moitra on Thursday condemned the "unlawful arrest" of its leader Sandeep Vazarkar during a bike rally in the state and further slammed the state government for allegedly "lathi-charging" Anganwadi workers.
"Yesterday, a bike rally was organised in Porvorim by Sandeep Vazarkar in the presence of our State in-charge @MahuaMoitra. After the event, Sandeep Vazarkar was unlawfully arrested. This was an utterly desperate move by @BJP4Goa to intimidate him! SHAME," tweeted AITC Goa.
The AITC Goa official handle further said, "The anganwadi workers protesting outside the CM's residence were lathi-charged and arrested! Our leader Seby Menezes was also arrested from the protest site. Shame on @DrPramodPSawant ji for SILENCING PEOPLE."
Goa TMC leaders Sandeep Vazarkar and Armando Gonsalves were also present at the press conference along with Moitra on Thursday.
At the conference, Mahua Moitra referred to the two incidents allegedly orchestrated by the BJP, on the night of December 29 - the arrest of Sandeep Vazarkar, former Sarpanch of Socorro and former Vice-president of Bharatiya Janata Party's Porvorim unit, followed by the alleged brutal lathi charge on protesting Aanganwadi workers at Azad Maidan.
Noting that the arrest of Sandeep Vazarkar was completely unwarranted, Mahua Moitra said, "His arrest in this manner, right after the bike rally which saw a massive support only proves that the BJP in Goa and in Porvorim are absolutely scared of any kind of opposition in their territory."
She also invited the members of the media for a silent protest to be held at Porvorim later this evening. She further notified the members of the press that despite the assurances of the Chief Minister himself, TMC leader Seby Menezes who was arrested during the brutal lathi charge on the innocent Anganwadi workers, had still not been released.
"The time has come for Goa to put a full stop to this kind of politics of brutality and vendetta politics. The TMC is here as an alternative and Goans can be rest assured that we are here to be the voice of Goa," she added.
Thereafter, Sandeep mentioned that the FIR was registered against him in 2019, after which he won the case. But the opposition filed the same case in the Tribunal. Calling it 'goondagiri', he added that Porvorim is often faced with similar disruptions of law and order at the behest of the powers that be.
Further speaking about his motivation behind joining the TMC, he stated, "I have left BJP and joined TMC and Wednesday's rally has shown that TMC has a lot of on-ground support in Porvorim. That's why, all this is being orchestrated against me by Goa BJP leader Rohan Khaunte."
Speaking to the media persons, TMC leader Armando Gonsalves referred to the attack on the iconic Souza Lobo restaurant at Calangute on Tuesday, in which three persons were critically injured.
"People are angry because of the law and order situation in the state and we need to come together and stop this. The current government has made a complete mess of the law. Finally, as Goans, we need to put our foot forward and fight for Goa," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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