Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Amid growing public concern over recent criminal incidents in the state, BJP Goa President Damu Naik on Thursday defended the government’s record on law and order, insisting that Goa continues to have a strong crime detection rate.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a press conference, Naik claimed that the roots of today’s crime-related challenges lie in decisions taken during Congress’s long rule. “The Congress blames the BJP because we have been in power since 2012. But what we are witnessing today is the result of policies and attitudes nurtured over 60 years of Congress rule,” Naik said.
He maintained that since coming to power, the BJP has been working steadily to strengthen the police force and improve the state’s law enforcement system, but that social and demographic shifts predating 2012 continue to influence Goa’s present situation.
Commenting on the sale of ancestral properties to non-Goans, Naik said the government could not legally intervene in private transactions. “We can only appeal to people not to sell their land, or at least sell it to fellow Goans. There is no law that can stop such sales,” he noted.
Referring to the recent “Pakistan Zindabad” LED board incident reported in Baga and Arpora, Naik said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had taken the matter seriously and directed the authorities to act swiftly. “The CM has issued strict instructions—such actions will not be tolerated,” Naik affirmed.
Meanwhile, Naik announced that the BJP has urged citizens to participate in the mass singing of “Vande Mataram” to mark its 150th anniversary. The Government of India has planned a year-long celebration of the occasion, starting November 7, 2025, and continuing until November 7, 2026.
