MAPUSA
Barely days after the Goa Assembly session wrapped up, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has launched a fresh attack on both the police and his own colleagues in government “ in a move that comes just as political circles are abuzz with talk of an impending cabinet reshuffle.
Lobo on Tuesday threatened to stage a day-long sit-in outside the Director General of Police’s office if immediate action is not taken against illegal touts and unauthorised tourist guides operating in the beach belt.
He said such operators rob tourists, tarnish the State’s image and should face arrest along with hefty fines.
“I will sit outside the DGP office for the entire day till a solution is found. The offenders should be arrested and imposed hefty fine,” Lobo declared, also calling for 24-hour police presence at the Calangute parking lot near the Bandodkar statue and the busy Tito’s lane, where tourists move about until the early morning hours.
The MLA linked the issue to broader concerns over tourist safety, warning that the lack of visible policing late at night was a risk to Goa’s reputation as a safe holiday destination.
But Lobo’s criticism didn’t stop with law enforcement.
In a sharp swipe at his cabinet colleagues, he accused ministers of failing to discharge their duties, forcing Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to personally answer many questions in the just-concluded Assembly session.
“We have seen in the recent assembly session that a lot of answers were given by the CM. This is because the ministers are not doing their job,” Lobo said. “Ministers who have portfolios are not doing what they should be doing.”
The timing of the outburst is noteworthy.
Political insiders point out that the focus in the capital is now shifting towards the long-anticipated cabinet reshuffle.
Lobo’s dual attack “ first on police inaction over touts and then on ministerial performance “ has fuelled speculation over whether his remarks are meant to influence the shake-up or position himself more prominently ahead of it.
With both the law-and-order concerns in Calangute and the internal performance of ministers now in the spotlight, the coming weeks could see not just a policing shake-up in Goa’s busiest tourist belt, but also a possible political one in Porvorim.
