BJP protests non-holding of Shigmotsav parade in Curchorem

Panaji, Mar 24 (UNI) Goa Legislative Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes as the BJP protested against non-holding of the traditional Shigmotsav parade last week in the trouble-torn Curchorem area of South Goa.

With the BJP not yielding to his advice, Speaker Francisco Sardinha cut short the remaining business and called for the recital of the national anthem.

Earlier, Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane, in his reply to the call attention motion raised by Ramarao Dessai (BJP), justified not holding the Shigmotsav parade and other religious processions in the trouble-torn Curchorem area of South Goa, as uneasy calm and tension prevails there following communal riots in the first week of this month.

The administration acted on the advice of the State police intelligence and revenue officials on assessment of the situation which was brought under control now, he said and also narrated the sequence of events that led to riots.

In his calling attention motion, Mr Dessai, the Legislator from Curchorem, questioned why the Government did not allow the festival parades last week as scheduled.

This, he claimed raised many eye brows creating ''sentimental anger'' and further intensified the communal divide. It was for the first time that the festivities were not held ever since the parade began in 2000, he mentioned.

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