Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Jun 18: Opposition parties in Goa on Thursday criticised the state police for detaining villagers protesting against a proposed mega residential project in Carapur Sarvan in North Goa, accusing the BJP-led government of suppressing dissent and curbing democratic rights.
The police action took place near a function in Panaji marking Goa Revolution Day, which commemorates the historic 1946 public meeting in Margao where freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia called for Goa’s liberation from Portuguese rule.
Villagers from Carapur Sarvan had sought to participate in protests and raise concerns over the residential project. However, police intercepted the demonstrators, placed them in buses and transported them to Old Goa, where they were reportedly held until evening.
Among those supporting the protest was Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, who joined demonstrators in demanding that the state government issue a stop-work order against the project.
Condemning the police action, Kejriwal alleged that the government was acting in favour of builders at the expense of local residents.
“The BJP government intends to hand over land in Carapur to builders, with the aim of completely destroying Carapur. The people of Carapur wanted to come to Azad Maidan to pay tribute to their martyrs, but they were taken into custody,” he said.
Referring to Goa Revolution Day, Kejriwal further claimed that the current administration was behaving in a more authoritarian manner than previous colonial rulers.
“No one ever imagined that one day Goa would have a government more dictatorial than the British and the Portuguese. Just as the arrogance of the British and Portuguese was broken, one day the arrogance of the BJP will also be broken,” he added.
Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Yuri Alemao also criticised the government, comparing its functioning to that of former Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar.
In a social media post, Alemao accused the government of undermining freedom of expression while publicly advocating sustainable development.
“The BJP Goa government has become like Salazar. The police, reduced to puppets at the behest of ministers, are arresting citizens who protest for their rightful demands. Freedom of speech has been crushed under this government,” he said.
Alemao also demanded the immediate release of the detained villagers.
Police officials defended the action, stating that the villagers were taken into preventive custody due to concerns over a possible law-and-order situation during the Goa Revolution Day programme.
A police officer said the protesters were held at the Old Goa Police Station for several hours and later released. No criminal cases were registered against any of the detainees.
The controversy has intensified the ongoing debate surrounding the proposed residential project, with local residents and opposition parties continuing to oppose the development, citing environmental and community concerns.