Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI:Marking Goa Revolution Day with a sharp political statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a protest targeting the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government, accusing it of rampant corruption and governance failure.
Led by MLAs Cruz Silva and Venzy Viegas, along with State Convenor Amit Palekar and party volunteers, the protest began with a tribute at the Martyrs’ Memorial at Azad Maidan. The group then attempted to march to the BJP headquarters but was stopped by the police en route.
The protestors carried an effigy of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and posters of 11 cabinet ministers depicted as the demon king Ravan from Hindu mythology, symbolizing what AAP called a “demonic” rule over Goa.
Speaking during the demonstration, MLA Venzy Viegas lashed out at the BJP for discontinuing the Free Water scheme. “The scheme was nothing more than an election-time stunt, now abandoned like all their other false promises. This betrayal of the people must be undone immediately,” he said.
MLA Cruz Silva described the current regime as the worst since Goa’s liberation. “The BJP has brought only corruption, chaos, and policies that endanger Goa’s land, identity, and culture. Honouring our freedom fighters means ending this misrule,” Silva asserted.
AAP Goa chief Amit Palekar also criticized CM Sawant’s rationale behind scrapping the water scheme, which cited misuse by residents. “Even if 50,000 families misused it, the estimated loss is around ₹6 crore annually — far less than what was splurged on BJP’s swearing-in event in 2022,” Palekar noted.
The protest underscored AAP’s growing confrontation with the BJP in the state and its intent to position itself as the principal opposition force ahead of future electoral battles.
