CALANGUTE: Villagers of Calangute are mobilizing support for the hunger strike by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo in protest against the failure of the authorities to curb prostitution and also to condemn the atrocities on a 19-year-old student of Calangute.
The villagers have been sending messages through mobile phones, etc, to garner support to the peoples’ agitation at Calangute market on Monday.
“The Calangute MLA has taken up the cause for Calangute village, so it is our duty to support him to fight illegalities like prostitution, police atrocities, etc. We have sent messages to our friends and others seeking their participation and presence for the cause of our Calangute village,” said a local youth.
Speaking to Herald, Michael Lobo said, “I have decided to go on hunger strike with the villagers of Calangute to condemn the Calangute police atrocities on the 19-year-old student and villager of Calangute.”
“How can there be mistaken identity and at the same time brutal attack on the innocent person by Calangute police? I am also protesting the failure of the authorities in curbing prostitution in Calangute as Goa as a whole. If nobody supports the cause, I will still sit on hunger strike on Monday till the authorities act and close down dance bars in Calangute,” stated Lobo.
“Calangute Panchayat had renewed the licence of a restaurant of a person at his illegal Baga shack and not at his house. He does not run a restaurant at his house, but has been renewing the licence of his restaurant at his shack at Baga. Calangute police too failed to curb the illegalities at the illegal shack at Baga,” added Lobo.
When contacted, Calangute PI Rajesh Kumar however said the Calangute police had sent its report to the higher authorities for action and were awaiting directives.
