MAPUSA
Upset with their favourite coastal MLA, taxi operators protested outside the residence of Ports Minister Michael Lobo on Thursday demanding to scrap the cab aggregate GoaMiles.
“We had no trust in the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant or the Transport Minister and that is why we had approached Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. But Lobo has also ditched us. For the last seven years, we have supported him but he has failed to resolve our issue,” said Chetan Kamat, a taxi driver from the group.
“If he stands by us then he should scrap GoaMiles. That is our only demand. If you scrap it, then all the taxi drivers will work for you,” he added.
The taxi drivers squatted on the road just outside the residential gate of Lobo in Parra since early morning. The adamant taxi drivers refused to listen to the appeals to come and meet the minister in his house or inside his compound.
“We have not called the minister on the road. Let him stay near his gate and talk to us. During the elections, these same ministers and MLAs visit people’s homes to ask for votes. Don’t they feel ashamed then?” Kamat questioned.
The protesting taxi drivers informed that they had placed their grievance before the chief minister and the transport minister several times but nothing had happened.
“If former CM late Manohar Parrikar was present today, he would have found a way out on this issue. This chief minister cannot do it,” Kamat said.
A large posse of policemen was already manning the gates of the minister. As the taxi drivers refused to budge till 11 am, Mapusa DySP Gajanan Prabhudessai and Mapusa PI Tushar Lotlikar rushed to the residence of the minister.
Lobo, however, decided to play safe and instead of giving the protesters an advantage, he decided to cancel all his appointments and remain at his residence.
He also urged the police not to arrest the protesting taxi drivers.
The taxi drivers later left the place at around 1 pm at noon without meeting the minister.
