Mapusa: Ex-Calangute MLA and General Secretary of GPCC Agnelo Fernandes strongly condemned the arrest of Calangute resident Walter Lobo on flimsy grounds inorder to stifle the voice of dissent.
On Wednesday, Walter Lobo was arrested and released on bail by Calangute police for uploading a video clip on Facebook giving wrong information about the paid quarantine of IDC workers who were lodged in a hotel at Tivaiwaddo, Calangute.
Fernandes said the people quarantined at Flora Residency in Calangute have flouted the quarantine rules by roaming around the village.
He said if at all they were quarantined officially, then they should have been brought in an ambulance to avoid infecting others on the way and there should have been police to ensure that they don’t move out as it was done for the Goan seafarers.
He further said that these people should not have been kept in quarantine in a densely populated area and taken the safety for granted.
Fernandes said Lobo as a local had raised his voice and shown his concern and exposed the danger to his neighbours and arresting him is nothing short of dictatorial attitude of the government.
Fernandes added that the persons quarantined at this particular hotel are staff of a company who have paid Rs 1.3 crore to the CM COVID-19 Fund, however this does not give the government the right to endanger the lives of the people staying in Calangute.
Fernandes alleged that the Calangute MLA Micheal Lobo’s hand is evident in the arrest of Lobo as the complainant is his henchman.
“Instead of protecting his constituency, he has endangered their lives and has no right to continue as a MLA or minister”, he said.
“The villagers and constituents of Calangute will not tolerate the high-handedness and dictatorial attitude of MLA Lobo and his government. If he wants to make money at the cost of his constituents, he should forthwith resign and do so,” Fernandes said.
