Panaji: Dragged down the stairs and out of the town and country planning (TCP) office on Saturday, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar launched a hunger strike against the zone changes under Section 39A in his constituency.“I will remain on hunger strike until my demand to scrap all zone changes under Section 17A is fulfilled,” the RG MLA said at Azad Maidan, where the agitation shifted after the Palem-Siridao residents were evicted from the TCP office.Borkar also issued a clarion call for a large public meeting at the venue at 10am on Sunday to oppose Section 39A of the TCP Act.The meeting, he said, will be attended by opposition parties, activists, and members of the general public who are against what he termed a draconian provision.The manhandling of Borkar and the other protesters has prompted the residents of Siridao-Palem village to intensify their protest.The confrontation between govt authorities and the protesters turned ugly when police forcibly lifted Borkar and evicted women protesters, prompting demands for the suspension of the officers involved.“Police and the revenue department officer, the mamlatdar, dragged us out. Govt attacked us, attacked the ST community and the Bahujan samaj,” said the MLA.Borkar, who spoke to chief minister Pramod Sawant over the phone following the incident, said the CM assured him that an inquiry would be conducted. Goa assembly speaker Ganesh Gaonkar advised the MLA to move a breach of privilege motion over the incident.“Being a legislator, it is my responsibility to stand up when injustice is done to my constituency and my villagers,” Borkar said, warning of a larger agitation if approvals for land conversions of over 84,000sqm granted under Section 39A are not revoked.Protesters, including elderly women, slept inside the TCP office on Friday night, camping outside chief town planner Vertika Dagur’s office. They have demanded that the TCP rescind the four final approvals granted for land conversion, while five other land parcels have received provisional approval.Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao, state Congress vice president Sunil Kawthankar, and AAP MLA Venzy Viegas joined the protesters at Azad Maidan on Saturday in a show of solidarity.“Govt’s dadagiri and harassment are increasing. This govt has destroyed Goa. The agenda is corruption and mission commission. We are here to demand that Section 39A be scrapped. The Constitution gives us the right to protest. If this is how they treat an MLA, imagine how this govt will treat the common man,” said Alemao.Viegas demanded the suspension of the police inspector and the initiation of an inquiry against personnel who allegedly manhandled Borkar. “I call upon all opposition MLAs and Goans to come in support of the villagers and demand the scrapping of 39A and a new regional plan,” Viegas said.Borkar’s parents also joined the protest and appealed to Goans to gather in large numbers at Azad Maidan.Govind Shirodkar, president of the Gakuved federation, said TCP minister Vishwajit Rane should be dropped from govt if the Sawant govt is truly concerned about Goa.RG chief Manoj Parab isaid, “For the last nine years, we have created awareness among people against these politicians who are feeding on money from the Delhi builders’ lobby. Vishwajit Rane may be sleeping peacefully at his home now. But if you do not fulfil the demands while people are here, we will not hesitate to come to your house.”
