Calangute PI Dattaguru Sawant’s failure to take action against illegal dance bars came under the scanner even as a large number of people mainly comprising of the youth marched through the streets of Calangute to express their angst against illegalities in the beach village.
The young and the old including nuns and priests joined the peaceful protest march from Jambleshwar Temple to Baga on Sunday evening.
Slamming the action or rather inaction of the Calangute Police, Calangute Sarpanch Joseph Sequiera said if the Calangute PI had acted in a proper way then people of the village wouldn’t have to come on streets to protest.
“The PI asked me to remain present for inspection of the illegal dance bars along with the panchayat secretary. While we kept our word and remained present for the inspection, the PI did a vanishing act and just sent a police jeep,” Sequeira said.
President of Calangute Constituency Forum, Premanand Diukar said it appeared that the police were more interested to provide protection to the dance bars rather than providing security to the people of the State.
“Calangute Police was prompt to file an FIR against a panchayat member of the village who happened to be present during an incident involving the staff of a dance bar while no FIR has been filed against dance bars. This clearly shows the priority of the police,” Diukar said.
A social worker of Arpora, Ana D’Mello informed that a similar issue involving dance bars was reported around a decade back in Arpora and it was only due to the active support of the then Police Inspector and the local panchayat that the dance bars were shut down.
“People will not have to come on the road only if the authorities take proper and prompt action against illegalities,” D’Mello said.
In a rare show of solidarity, the Calangute sarpanch said that the panchayat had the support of local MLA Michael Lobo and the Zilla Panchayat member to act against the illegal dance bars.
“We have taken several steps in order to shut down the illegal dance bars and we will move ahead. We only need the support of the people,” Sequeira said.
The CCF President said if the government has the will it can stop the illegal dance bars operating in the State.
MAPUSA: Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo reiterated that he along with the sarpanch of the village will ensure that the illegal dance bars are eliminated from Calangute.
Lobo also said that all the illegalities can be stopped with a little cooperation of the local people.
“We can stop the illegal dance bars and other activities if our people do not give these outsiders space to run such an activity. Our locals should tell them to stop all illegalities carried out in their rented premises,” Lobo said.
He said a lot of locals get swayed because they get a huge amount of money as rent.
“If the youth remain united we can remove this problem of dance bars. I have told the sarpanch we will remove the dance bars once for all,” Lobo said.
