The cowboy style high-handed and illegal outing to Sada jail yesterday led by Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza to see their convicted colleague Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco was outrageous and needs to be condemned as it has sent a wrong message to the law abiding citizens.
Nobody can have any issue with anyone visiting a convict in jail. But the VIP manner in which this entourage entered the jail yesterday has raised one eye brow too many. Firstly, Monday is not a jail visiting day with no visits to any inmate allowed. Even on a visiting day, no visits are allowed after 5 pm but this rule was also breached by the Deputy Chief Minister who also happens to be the Law Minister. When anyone visits an inmate the jailor has to be present and be witness to all the conversation. This prison rule was also breached yesterday. Rule 250 of the Goa Prisons Rules specifically prohibits any discussion on political matters by anyone visiting a convict. But over that 70 minute long interaction yesterday with the convicted Mickky Pacheco it was only politics on the menu. The visiting MLAs may be right when they say that they were moved on seeing Mickky Pacheco suffering. But a jail is a jail and every inmate in the jail suffers. That is what jails are all about. They are not a holiday resort, a pleasure home or a fun destination. And did these MLAs care to break their silence when their colleague Mickky Pacheco earlier this year went absconding for two long months with tax payers’ money squandered on looking out for him. That the politically controlled search of Mickky Pacheco was a farcical one is another issue. And did these MLAs care to share their concern over the pain and indignation suffered by Electricity department Junior Engineer Kapil Natekar who was high –handedly assaulted by Mickky Pacheco. And for that matter have they ever cared to share the agony of all those who over the years have been at the receiving end of Mickky Pacheco’s brut muscle power. Did these Honourable MLAs pose for a while to ponder that the current jail sentence their comrade Mickky Pacheco is undergoing was upheld by four courts besides our country’s highest Temple of Justice, the Supreme Court of India. To sum it all, that VIP visit yesterday to the Sada Jail by the Deputy Chief Minister and the two MLAs to visit the VIP jailed Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco was nothing but a bigheaded abuse of power and authority. The jail authorities are equally to be blamed for having abdicated in their duty in allow the VIPs to enter the jail through the Green channel in violation of the rules. The Deputy Chief Minister should now go visit all the convicts. Goa has already become a lawless State. It cannot get any worse. Amen. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires