Agitated over the delay in completion of a magisterial probe into the alleged manhandling of traditional fishermen on May 11 at Panaji, the fisherfolk, on Tuesday, demanded with the Home Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to see that it is completed within the next two days, or else he should resign as the state’s Home Minister. The probe has not been completed even after 80, 20 days more than the stipulated time. There was unsatisfactory response’ from additional collector Ronkon Pereira, when the fisherfolk called on him on Tuesday, it is learnt. The traditional fishermen, who had to hang around for two hours before two of them were called in the office by the additional collector, also demanded with the Minister for RDA, Science and Technology Alina Saldanha, who is the general secretary of the Goenchea Ramponcarancho Ekvott (GRE) that she should convince the government to speed up the probe. Alina was present during the time of the incident. Police beat us up, and she knows it. If she cannot raise the issue in the Assembly along with MLA Michael Lobo, she should also resign as minister. Late Matanhy Saldanha was with the ramponkars, and he would not have liked ramponkars being unnecessarily harassed,” said Olencio Simoes, joint secretary of GRE. Simoes said that they met the additional collector to enquire about the magisterial probe that was supposed to be completed within 60 days. We are not happy with the response we got from the additional collector Ronkon Pereira. It appears that the government wants to show that the police are innocent. The Home Minister has failed to keep his word. He earlier assured us that the magisterial probe will be conducted within 30 days, and later extended the time period by 30 more days. Today, 80 days are over. This government is not for traditional fishermen, it is for casino operators. The BJP government has failed to protect the interest of the ramponkars. When we met the additional collector Ronkon Pereira, who is holding the charge of collector Swapnil Naik, he said that he was unaware of the report whether it has been sent to the government, he said.
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