What is true? The House Com or Govt’s warning to act against Dhirio?
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 03 March 2016 18:42 IST
Will the Bharatiya Janata Party government wrap up the House Committee on Dhirio since it has now issued an order taking action against anybody organising bull fights in Goa?
No.
The order is issued by the home ministry as assured by the government to the high court.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, on the other hand, has confirmed that he would go ahead with the House Committee on Dhirio.
The House Committee is to explore the possibility of lifting the ban on Dhirio, imposed by both the high court as well as the Supreme Court.
Eyebrows were raised when the state government suddenly issued an order, warning the people that action would be initiated if anybody violated the high court order of 1996.
Why such an order almost after two decades when allowing Dhirio is a new ‘revenue generation’ for the police officials and ‘vote generation’ for the politicians?
Perhaps because allowing Dhirio illegally reached an extreme on 20 September, during Chovoth last year, due to which Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar as well as Director General of Police are facing contempt petition in the high court.
The People for Animals immediately approached the court in October last year, alleging that the CM, in collusion with the police, permitted Dhirio in his Mandrem constituency and even publicly justified it.
As a face-saving device, the Parsekar government has now not only issued the public order but even issued show cause notices to the North Goa Collector, North Goa SP and Pedne PI, regarding the illegally conducted Dhirio.
Sources in the home ministry disclosed to goanews.com that the order was an outcome of the submission made before the court, with an assurance not to allow Dhirio in the state.
But does that mean Goa government would wind up the House Committee?
“No”, Parsekar tells goanews.com, “we would like to see what suggestions the House Committee comes out with.”
Shreya Paropkari, Cruelty Response Manager of Humane Society International India, has however claimed the government order as the victory of their campaign against Dhirio.
“HSI/India is celebrating a landmark victory as the state government of Goa reiterates the ban on Dhirio. The decision was made just few months after HSI/India’s publicised campaign saw thousands of supporters and eminent politicians write to the Goa Legislature urging them not to attempt legalization of Dhirio”, she stated in a press note.
But while Parsekar is keen on going ahead with the House Committee, state home ministry sources say the order is based on a submission made before the court to initiate action on holding illegal Dhirio.
In short, it means action against Dhirio by the government till the government tries its level best to find ways and means not to take action!
