Cops question Congress MLA Alemao over protest outside Goa minister Rane's home

Leader of Opposition in the Goa assembly Yuri Alemao on Monday recorded his statement before police in a case related to a protest march held outside Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Ranes home, seeking the scrapping of a contentious land conversion provision.

Leader of Opposition in the Goa assembly Yuri Alemao on Monday recorded his statement before police in a case related to a protest march held outside Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane's home, seeking the scrapping of a contentious land conversion provision. Several hundred agitators had protested outside Rane's residence in Dona Paula near Panaji on February 24, when Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar began a fast-unto-death demanding the scrapping of Section 39-A of the Town and Country Planning Act. The section enables the conversion of non-settlement zone into settlement zone, paving the way for construction activities. Police had registered an FIR against Alemao, three other MLAs, and around 1,500 protesters for unlawful assembly in connection with the march. Alemao, a Congress MLA, arrived at the Panaji Police Station on Monday evening and recorded his statement after being called for questioning. Borkar was also present. ''I told the police I am a law-abiding citizen and have full faith in the judiciary. It was my duty to stand with the people of Goa,'' the Leader of Opposition told reporters after deposing before the investigating officer of the case. Alemao maintained he considers the police summons as a ''medal for standing with the people of Goa.'' He claimed citizens were protesting against the ''outright sale'' of Goa's land under the controversial Section 39-A of the TCP Act, and accused the BJP government of using police machinery to harass protesters.