CALANGUTE, DEC 15
Even as three fishermen from Calangute-Candolim have claimed that they were assaulted by Calangute MLA’s brother and seven others at Sinquerim jetty on Wednesday, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes has refuted the charges.
In a complaint lodged with Calangute Police, three fishermen, Nazareth Lopes (Candolim), Reginald Silveira and Augustine Lobo, both from Calangute, have alleged that they were assaulted by Calangute MLA’s brother Lourenco Fernandes and seven others on the instigation of Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes.
Later, the Calangute Police directed the trio to Primary Health Centre Candolim for a medical test.
Addressing the media, the trio alleged that they were physically assaulted by the Candolim tourist boat owners on the instigation of the Calangute MLA.
Narrating the sequence of events, the assaulted and other fishermen present at the site stated that the provocation for the assault was a mere erection of a display board by the Department of Fisheries, which had materialised after a prolonged fight by the fishing community.
Laying the blame entirely on the Calangute MLA, they alleged that the assault took place only after the Calangute MLA uttered the words “Tumi kitem kanknam ghalleant, moddat tankam, kiteak bhietat tumi Kongottkarank.”
“Later, one person took the pick-axe and broke the Fisheries department boat into pieces,” they stated.
Condemning the incident, Matanhy Saldanha of Ramponkarancho Ekvott said: “The display board was being put up by the Department of Fisheries with its officials led by Harmalkar on the instructions from Minister of Fisheries Joaquim Alemao, as the tourist boat owners were not permitting a smooth fishing activity of the fishing community and were blocking their access.”
“However, when the officials went to erect the display board, they were stopped by the Calangute MLA who instigated the crowd to assault the group of fishermen,” said Saldanha.
“The MLA should have infact intervened and ensured truce among the warring communities or groups, but he instigated them to attack. Therefore, I call upon the home minister to look into the matter on priority basis and initiate action in the matter before the matter goes out of hand,” added Saldanha.
“The display of board by the Department of Fisheries was a genuine demand by the fishing community,” he added.
Condemning the incident of instigation by the Calangute MLA, former Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said: “I did not even dream that the elected representative would instigate his people against the people who got him elected as MLA.”
“Such an act will tarnish the image of the MLA and the Congress in Goa sending wrong signals to the local populace. The MLA has become a terror for Calangute villagers,” added Sequeira.
“The jetty at Sinquerim was infact inaugurated by the then minister Sanjay Bandekar when I was the sarpanch of Calangute in the interest of fishermen,” added Sequeira and urged the Congress government to initiate stern action against Calangute MLA.
Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes however refuted the allegations and said his opponents are making a political issue out of nothing.
Elaborating further, Fernandes said one boat owner called him at about 10.30 am and informed him that two persons, Reginald and Augustine, are creating problems for the tourist boat owners and have intentions of attacking them with weapons.
“Accordingly, I rushed to the site along with Candolim Panchas Blaise Fernandes, Patrick Gonsalves and others. Sensing the tricky situation, I called the Calangute Police and requisitioned their force at 11.15 am to prevent any untoward incident,” stated the Calangute MLA.
When informed that Saldanha and Sequeira have laid the blame entirely on him for such an instigation and that the Calangute MLA is terrorising the area, Fernandes refuted their charge and said that he does not care people who have been rejected by the people of Goa.
“Infact, my brother Lourenco and others were attacked by the fishermen with weapons in regard to which they have lodged a complaint with Calangute Police. This issue is not a Calangute-Candolim issue as my opponents have made it to believe,” he added.
Calangute Police have sounded caution in the matter and PSI Mahesh Kerkar is investigating the case.
