Violence erupted in the coastal village of Colva on Monday over the controversial Konkani audio CD Dogui Bodmas produced by Colva panch Calvert Gonsalves as irate villagers took to the streets to protest against police inaction against Calvert and his production team for allegedly defaming Colva Parish Priest Fr Diogo Fernandes in the audio CD.
Agitated protestors marched to Calvert’s residence around noon and stoned his house, besides damaging his garage, two-wheelers and flower pots. Later in the evening, the irate villagers blocked the busy Colva four-road junction with blazing tyres and stones and demanded the immediate arrest of Calvert and the entire production team of the audio CD.
Violence continued late this evening as angry people torched a fast food kiosk located alongside the main road. The villagers have also declared an indefinite Colva bandh on Tuesday, even as the protestors vowed to continue the road blockade throughout the night till the police arrest Calvert and members of his production team. “We will not go back to our homes till Calvert and members of the production team are arrested”, villagers vowed this evening.
Hundreds of villagers descended at the Colva police station this morning after news spread that the parish priest and the assistant parish priest had packed their bags to leave the church following the alleged defamatory song in the audio CD against Fr Diogo.
The villagers conveyed to Colva police station incharge, Police Inspector Edwin Colaco their total dissatisfaction over the police inaction against Calvert despite lodging complaints against him in the month of May and on last Saturday.
A delegation led by Jason Andrade, Moderator of the Parish Council this morning lodged a fresh complaint against Calvert, Osvy Viegas and the entire production team, accusing them for creating disharmony within the Catholic community for the purpose of provoking the Catholic masses to cause a riot in the village.
The complaint accused the panch and his production team for creating disharmony in the village and for hurting the religious feelings and insulting the religious beliefs of the people of Colva. “The members of the parish council listened to the contents of the CD and were shocked after hearing it as the songs containing derogatory, blasphemous remarks against our Parish Priest, Fr Diogo, the vicar general and the bishop of Goa”, Andrade said in his complaint.
The five policemen posted outside Calvert’s residence were clearly outnumbered by the huge mob as they went about damaging Calvert’s house, besides the garage, two-wheelers and flower pots. A reporter of a vernacular daily Tarun Bharat, Mahesh Konekar was also bashed up by members of the mob outside Calvert’s house. Questions were raised why the police did not make adequate bandobast arrangements at Calvert’s house as a precautionary measure.
Later in the evening, the agitated villagers assembled near the Colva four road junction and blocked the traffic with blazing tyres and stones.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Umesh Gaonkar, who rushed to Colva, deployed additional police reinforcements from Margao and Verna to deal with the emerging situation. Gaonkar was personally monitoring the situation even as Colaco was seen in Margao looking out for Calvert.
Gaonkar had discussions with the protestors near the church this evening, but the people reiterated their one point demand for Calvert’s arrest.
A member of the Colva Parish Council, Luiza told newsmen outside the police station after the police registered a FIR against Calvert that the controversial CD should be withdrawn immediately as the songs are blasphemous to the Catholic community and the parish priest.
She said the villagers were forced to come on the streets as the police failed to act on the complaints lodged against Calvert since May and demanded his immediate arrest. “The people had lodged a first complaint against Calvert in May, followed by another complaint in August and the recent complaint on December 26. The audio CD would not have come out if action was taken against Calvert right on time”, she remarked.
When contacted, Colaco said the police has registered a case against Calvert, Osvy Viegas and the entire production team of the CD for hurting the religious sentiments and beliefs of the people, besides causing communal disharmony.
Colaco said the police has also registered a case against unknown persons for rioting and mischief following a complaint received from Natalia, the mother of Calvert.
[Source]
