First and foremost, there cannot be an existence of illegitimate activities without the blessings of some godfathers. The police is aware of all the activities taking place within their jurisdiction due to their widely spread up intelligence network and politicians normally rule over the police. Although police do keep taking actions against various businesses not working within the framework of the law but then it needed to be done to maintain the balance in the society. The recent raid on the gambling den in Vasco town created the huge controversy when the MMC Chairperson blamed the police for being bias and calling the whole act as politically motivated.
According to the news published in the local daily The Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) has demanded action against all gambling dens in Vasco following Tuesday’s raid on a local den. The council also urged the police not to target certain clubs, but to stop the operations of all without discrimination. This clears one thing that MMC were well aware of the existence of more gambling dens in the city and yet kept mum over the issue until one of the dens was raided by the police on Tuesday. According to the sources from MMC Vasco town police raided a five-star social club and caught ten gamblers red-handed while purposely neglecting the other clubs operating in the similar vicinity.
MMC chairperson Lavina D’souza told the media that “I feel the Vasco police’s move was politically motivated. The same police that raided one club should have even raided other clubs in Vasco. It has surprised us all. Today not only gambling, but many other illegal activities are taking place. The police are turning a blind eye to them. As far as MMC is concerned, we don’t want illegal activities to take place in its jurisdiction,” While other councilors followed the same tune. Councilors Manish Arolkar and Saifullah Khan in their joint statement demanded that “The police should not discriminate against any individual. If they are taking action then they should close down all clubs and not act against one. This makes us feel the police were working under some political directions.”
Meanwhile keeping up with the MMC support former president of the Five Star Social Club Arnold Rego threatened to approach the courts of law. He claimed that few people from Vasco town have maligned name of his and his wife, who is also the councilor of Murmagao Municipal Council through the social media to gain the mileage in the forthcoming municipal election. “Firstly, the club is run by ten members of the club and not by me. Secondly, some people are trying to use the opportunity to take benefit in the municipal elections. The raid was politically motivated. These people can use the information to malign our names in the town. We have decided to approach the court of law against the acts of such individuals,” said Rego.
It is evident that the entire operation of the police was strongly objected by MMC Chairperson and the councilors due to involvement of the husband of their ex-chairperson in this issue, at the same time being aware of such more activities are taking place in the town they have not tried to inform the police about it earlier to the raid. If there are more gambling dens running in the similar locality then why MMC did not complained about it earlier to the police? And if MMC is has the correct information then why police is not taking action in this matter? Please do leave your comments and suggestions on this issue.
Source: Herald
