Representative image for a protest.
Credit: iStock Images
Panaji: Workers and leaders of political parties and social organisations are staging a protest in Margao city, demanding the arrest of former Goa RSS chief Subash Velingkar over his comment on St Francis Xavier.
Protestors are blocking roads in Margao in South Goa, condemning Velingkar's comments about St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, whose relics are at the Basilica of Bom Jesus Church, Old Goa.
The agitation began on Friday evening when around 300 people gathered outside the police station in Margao.
Activist Pratima Coutinho, one of the people leading the protest, demanded a first information report (FIR) against Velingkar and his immediate arrest.
Leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress and a few others have lodged police complaints against the former state RSS chief this week.
Superintendent of Police (South) Sunita Sawant tried to convince the agitators that the police department is taking action, as per law, on the complaints filed against Velingkar.
While the protestors refused to move away, the police in Bicholim, North Goa, where Velingkar had reportedly made the statement, registered an FIR against him for hurting religious sentiments.
The agitators were unhappy with the FIR and stayed put throughout the night and dispersed in the wee hours. They returned on Saturday morning, blocking roads in Margao city.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Congress MP Viriato Fernandes, MLAs Cruz Silva and Altone D'Costa, along with AAP Goa President Amit Palekar, were also part of the agitation.
When contacted, Velingkar was unavailable for comment.