Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: In a move that has sparked widespread outrage, Goa police arrested activist Rama Kankonkar on Friday for allegedly making derogatory and threatening statements against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The arrest, which took place in Panjim, has been vehemently condemned by opposition parties and other political leaders, who see it as a blatant attempt to silence voices of dissent.
Goa Congress Chief Amit Patkar has strongly criticized the arrest, labelling it as another example of the BJP government’s dictatorial tactics.
“Instead of targeting those who genuinely threaten democracy, the government is focusing on activists who are fighting to protect Goa’s interests,” Patkar said. He emphasized that the person who threatened a Panch member in Sancoale should have been the one arrested, not Kankonkar. Patkar accused the BJP of shielding wrongdoers while suppressing those who stand up for the people.
Amit Palekar, president of the Aam Aadmi Party, also condemned the arrest, calling it illegal and a violation of the freedom of speech guaranteed under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution.
“This high-handed act by the Goa Police, under political compulsion, is a clear disregard for the law and the mandate of the BNSS,” Palekar stated. He urged the Goa Human Rights Commission and the Goa State Police Complaints Authority to take suo moto cognizance of the illegal arrest.
Vijai Sardesai, chief of the Goa Forward Party, joined the chorus of criticism, saying that democracy thrives on debate, not intimidation.
“The government is weaponizing the police with fake cases to silence ST Community Leaders,” Sardesai alleged.
Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Fereira described the registration of the FIR against Kankonkar as illegal and a misuse of police powers, drawing parallels with Hitler’s tactics of silencing dissent. “Freedom of speech is the bedrock of democracy,” Fereira said, pledging his support to Kankonkar.
The Opposition has expressed full solidarity with Kankonkar and all Goans fighting against this perceived injustice.
The party demands Kankonkar’s immediate release and calls upon the government to stop its undemocratic suppression of activists and concerned citizens.
The opposition is adamant that Goa’s identity, heritage, and environment are not for sale and will continue to resist the BJP’s destructive policies.