Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Nov 8: The Congress on Friday launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Goa government, accusing it of presiding over a complete breakdown of law and order after three murders were reported within 24 hours, including the killing of activist Umakant Khote in Morjim.
Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao demanded an immediate special session of the Goa Legislative Assembly to address what he called a “collapse of policing and governance,” asserting that the once “Golden State” had now become a “playground for criminals.”
“Goa has been taken hostage by lawlessness. Under this corrupt Jumla Party regime, the State has slipped into unprecedented disorder,” Alemao said at a press conference. Once known for its peace and tourism, he added, Goa is now “infamously known for criminal tourism,” turning into a refuge for offenders from across India and abroad.
Referring to the brutal killing of 63-year-old Khote — who was allegedly murdered for opposing illegal hill-cutting — Alemao said the case exemplified the government’s failure to protect citizens who stand up against corruption and environmental violations. “This was not just a murder; it was an execution of a citizen who dared to question illegality,” he said.
The Opposition alleged that the State’s police machinery has “completely collapsed,” functioning as a “demoralised, reactive force” lacking leadership and direction. “Preventive policing has vanished. Tourists are attacked, labourers are shot, activists are silenced — and the government remains unmoved. This is the worst breakdown of public order Goa has ever witnessed,” Alemao said.
Highlighting a pattern of violent incidents — including a double murder in South Goa and the killing of three labourers allegedly linked to the sand mafia — the Congress said daily reports of murder, robbery, and land grabbing indicate that Goa has “descended into anarchy.”
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief Amit Patkar linked the rising crime and social unrest to worsening economic distress, accusing the government of pushing locals to sell their land amid vanishing jobs and opportunities. “People are being forced to part with their fields while the government facilitates private land grabs in the name of development,” Patkar said.
Both leaders held chief minister Pramod Sawant, who also handles the Home portfolio, directly responsible for what they termed “the total collapse of law, order, and governance” in Goa.