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Friday, July 13, 2007

GKREM convenor attacked by pro-Kannada activists

Members of Kannada Rakshana Vedike (KRV) of Bangalore manhandled convener of Goa Konkani Rajya Ekikaran Manch (GKREM) Asha Palankar and her husband at Kajubag-Karwar on Tuesday.
According to reports, the Palankars — who have been spearheading the movement to merge three talukas of Karwar, Joida and Haliyal in Karnataka with Goa — were going to the market, when the rains forced them to take shelter at the Mahasati Hall in Kajubag.
At that moment, KRV members rushed into the compound and threw eggs on the Palankars, besides manhandling them. Incidentally, KRV State President Praveen Shetty along with 60 members had come to Karwar on Monday itself.
When both tried to move to the nearby hospital, KRV activists tried to block them by shouting pro-Kannada slogans.
Police rushed to the spot and escorted the Palankars to the government hospital for treatment. The KRV activists were arrested under Section 355 IPC and were later released on bail.
Later speaking to Herald, Asha Palankar claimed that the attack was pre-planned, since a local Kannada newspaper reporter was already ready to shoot the incident.
“It is unbelievable that the police was unaware of the incident. In fact, these people are protected by the police and it is very difficult for people of the disputed border areas to live peacefully in Karnataka,” Asha said.
She accused the KRV activists of manhandling then Belgaum Mayor Vijay More in Bangalore.
“We have never uttered anything against Kannada or the Kannada people. On the lines of a linguistic state, we natives of Karwar-Joida-Haliyal are demanding merger with Goa. It is our fundamental right and we have approached the Supreme Court for justice,” said Ancy.
She claimed that Tuesday’s incident was evidence to prove Karnataka government’s repressive measures on the Konkani speaking people of this region.
“We will not get discouraged by such threats and acts of Kannadigas. On the contrary, I thank them because this incident will make our agitation more strong, since it will develop stronger bonds among Konkani speaking people,” Palankar added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Margaret Alva has rejected GKREM’s demand for the merger of three talukas of Uttara Kannada as “absurd”.
Speaking to the Deccan Herald, Alva — the Congress in-charge of Goa — said it was “impossible to form states in India on the basis of language and religion. Such efforts would lead to fragmentation of India.”
Alva criticised the Manch for raking up such issues, instead of focusing on development of Uttar Kannada district. “The Goa government has no intention to seek the merger of these talukas,” Alva was quoted in the report.

4 comments:

asha palankar said...

what is our right? to live in harmony with the nature so for that we should be near to the nature and that is fulfilled only when we are near to our mother tounge and our culture on which we have been brought up. that we have to keep alive and for that we have to assert our rights in this democratic setup

asha palankar said...

it is my birthright to assart my right

asha palankar said...

it is my birthright to assart my right

The world of Konkani said...

Hi..Asha ji,

Thanks a lot for your views & comments on this hot subject!!

Regards,

Konkani World