A mob of several thousand pro-mining agitators held the State capital of Panaji to ransom for nearly five hours on Monday, blocking all entry and exit roads to the city, demanding immediate resumption of mining in Goa, which has been stopped on the directions of the Supreme Court of India since March 15.
The agitation which lasted for several hours also turned violent on Monday afternoon, after some agitators stoned police and fire department vehicles and also stoned police personnel on duty and hurled bottles at Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, who tried to reason with the agitators to withdraw the strike.
Several hundred school children, many of whom were answers Class XII students who were appearing for their board examination were stranded in their schools for hours after their respective exams, while thousands of tourists who were enroute airport, railway stations or to their destinations were stranded because of the strike.
The National Highway 17 passing through the State capital was blocked for nearly five hours. Police had to lathi-charge the mob late on Monday afternoon to clear the key road, as a result of which nearly half a dozen protestors received minor injuries.
Speaking to reporters PWD Minister Dhavalikar said, that he empathised with those who were protesting, adding that he had assured them that a solution to the mining imbroglio as soon as possible.
"I have assured them that the Government is with them and a solution would be found as soon as possible," Dhavalikar said, adding that, Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari would be arriving in Goa on Tuesday and speaking to representatives from the pro-mining agitators, among other stakeholders linked to the mining industry.
"Gadkari ji is willing to meet everyone who is affected by the ban, whether it is workers' unions and those who are in trouble and need help because of the stoppage in mining," Dhavalikar said.
Monday's protest was organised by truck and barge owners and workers linked to the mining industry, which has accused the State BJP-led coalition governments in the state and the Centre of not doing enough to contest the apex court's decision last month.
The Supreme Court order in February had cancelled all 88 mining leases, which were renewed by the BJP-led coalition Government in Goa in favour of the same mining companies implicated in the Rs 35,000 crore illegal mining scam.
The order also mandates that mining leases should be issued anew, after getting all the necessary environment clearances, a process which could take nearly one and a half to two years according to experts.