The Mapusa fish market will be shuttered on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with five fisherwomen facing unwarranted accusations from Mapusa-based RTI activist Jawahar Shetye. This decision comes as a mark of protest against false complaints filed against them, with the entire fisher community rallying behind their cause.
According to Shashikala Govekar, one of the accused fisherwomen, Shetye’s complaint alleges their harassment towards him, despite their own prior complaint against him yielding no action from authorities. Govekar emphasised their determination to seek justice and ensure Shetye faces consequences for his actions.
In a display of unity, the fisher community aims to voice their support for the accused women by gathering at the collector’s office during Shetye’s summons. Allegations against Shetye include extortion, with claims that he demanded money in exchange for promised market space, despite existing municipal charges.
Further scrutiny revealed Shetye’s exploitation of a vulnerable victim from Maharashtra, Aronda, capitalising on her outsider status. He falsely represented himself as a municipal representative, duping her and others into paying hefty sums for market placement, alongside submitting Aadhaar cards.
The fisher community condemns Shetye’s manipulative and unethical conduct, exploiting the fisher women’s plight for personal gain. By closing the market and bringing attention to this issue, they demand justice for the unfairly targeted women and call for preventive measures to curb such abuses in the future. Authorities are urged to take prompt action against Shetye to ensure accountability and deter similar incidents.
