Congress leader and former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes along with ex-sarpanch Joseph Sequeira addressing the media on Thursday. The petitioner in Lokayukta Peter D’Souza was also present. Captured by : Agnelo Pereira
MAPUSA
The Congress on Thursday said that Ports Minister Michael Lobo was trying to mislead the people of Goa over the former Goa Lokayukta order against him and called on the chief minister to dismiss him from the cabinet.
“Michael should stop fooling the people. There is a case registered against him by his own government for forging government letters. While he says, who is Lokayukta to call him unfit, his own government thinks he is a crook,” alleged Agnelo Fernandes, Congress leader and former Calangute MLA.
Fernandes along with ex-sarpanch of Calangute, Joseph Sequeira while addressing the media tore into the arguments put forth by the ports minister against the former Lokayukta’s order against him.
The petitioner, Peter D’Souza, who had approached the Lokayukta was also present for the press briefing.
They said Lobo’s contention that the High Court had dismissed the matter petitioned before the Lokayukta was completely false and misleading.
Fernandes said the High Court had dismissed the matter giving the petitioner an opportunity to approach a competent authority.
He further said the petitioner had then approached the district court and simultaneously petitioned the Lokayukta as the petitioners had found some departments were involved in corruption.
On Lobo’s argument that the Lokayukta passed the order against him because he was denied extension by the government, the former Calangute MLA said the Lokayukta cannot get an extension beyond 73 years of age.
“As per the Goa Lokayukta Act, once the incumbent Lokayukta has completed 73 years of age he cannot get an extension. And the incumbent Lokayukta had completed 73 years when he retired. The ports minister’s idea of fooling the people stands exposed,” he said.
Former Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said the Lokayukta had passed severest strictures against the minister in the two orders and prayed that Lobo should resign on moral grounds.
“If he has any respect for the lokayukta or the Constitution of India, he should resign from the cabinet or the CM should dismiss him,” Sequeira said.
He further disclosed that the same Lobo, who was passing disparaging remarks on the Lokayukta, had in an interview to a local channel in 2014 said the Lokayukta was needed.
Fernandes said not a single MLA of Calangute in the past has done so much destruction in Calangute constituency as the minister has done.
“The hills from Saipem to Sinquerim and Arpora to Parra have been ravaged. He’s doing plastic surgery by breaking some compound walls and widening of the footpaths. That is not development,” he said.
