31/07/2015 …. Veilm mla Benjamin silva has said that his government was firm in putting an end to the velim church case where in the Cuncolim police had filed a chargesheet against priests and villagers due to which village boys had been facing problems even to travel abroad in the past few years with cases being booked against them …
It may be noted that the Former water resource minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues in a letter written to chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar had sought his intervention in the Velim church case where the Cuncolim police have filed a chargesheet against two priests and 20 villagers.
In a memorandum to the Chief Minister mr Rodrigues had said that the former chief minister and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar while speaking in the legislative assembly in March 2014 had said that he personally felt that the case should be closed while also admitting that arrests could create a law and order situation.
Mr rodrigues had also stated innocent people have been unnecessarily framed and implicated in the chargesheet including the parish priest and Episcopal vicar while actual culprits, the police who created the scenario by their ill advised raid on the church have been left scot-free.
But Speaking to media reporters velim mla Benjamin silva said that his government is trying to close the case but since issue of police officials was also involved his government did required time to take a final call over it
On asked about the former velim mla writing a letter to the chief minister over the issue Mr silva questioned as where was mr felipe neri rodrigues all this while and what he had done to solve the issue
Mr silva also said that the former chief minister Manohar Parrikar had assured of solving the issue within four months and now the present chief minister had also assured to finish the case soon as possible
