Former MLA and Minister Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco is back in the news and once again for all the wrong reasons. Pacheco who very high-handedly drove his huge SUV right on the beach in clear violation of the law was in no mood to listen when confronted by a brave individual.
It is not without reason that Pacheco’s video has gone viral on social media and has drawn the attention of national news channels who have sought to confront Pacheco over his brazenness.
If anything, the incident has revealed that Pacheco has learnt nothing from his past run-ins with the law and even his jail term which was upheld by the Supreme Court was for a crime that boiled down to the exact same behaviour Pacheco has displayed recently. Instead, Pacheco has shown the same traits that got him into jail in the first place.
In a situation like this, especially when one is exposed, the right thing to do would be to apologize for one’s actions. Instead, Pacheco, by some accounts, has claimed that he was driving his SUV on the beach to pick up a sick friend because ambulances do not have four-wheel drive and cannot manoeuvre on the sands.
This is not only brazenly false, but is belied by the fact that Pacheco is later seen (in the video) drinking at a beach shack and with absolutely no preoccupation with any kind of sick friend. Even if Pacheco had to rush with his vehicle to the Utorda beach on an emergency call, as stated by him, it doesn’t give him a licence to do what he has done.
Pacheco’s contention that a complaint should have been registered against him for driving on the beach doesn’t hold water in this case. This is not only a case of flouting rules, but also threatening an individual with dire consequences, besides using very offensive language.
Fortunately for the guy who had the courage to film the entire episode, no harm ensued. The incident nonetheless highlights how dangerous standing up to ‘power’ can be.
It would be easy to brush off the incident as a one-off, but it clearly is not, given Pacheco’s history of bullying those who confront his brazen actions. That the Verna police have registered the offence as cognizable shows that there is enough material on record, add to this Pacheco’s known history of a similar incidents of violence. Along with Pacheco, all his cronies involved in the incident who were belting out filthy language should be booked immediately. Goondagiri should have no place in a state like Goa.
