Team Goemkarponn
MAJORDA: An online real estate advertisement that barred Goans from purchasing property in Majorda, South Goa, has triggered widespread outrage across social media and among civil society.
The post, shared on the “South Goa Rentals” Facebook page, promoted the sale of a 1,200 sq. metre plot with a “Portuguese house” belonging to a Delhi-based family. However, what drew sharp criticism was the line: “Genuine clients write. Strictly No Goans.”
The discriminatory message spread rapidly online, drawing condemnation from Goans who called the ad “insulting” and “unconstitutional.” Activists and citizens demanded action against what they described as a growing pattern of exclusion in Goa’s real estate market.
Noted Goan artist and Goa Chitra Museum curator, Victor Hugo Gomes, decried the post, saying it symbolized the commodification of Goan identity. “Goa is not a commodity—it’s a culture, a living heritage. Goans have every right to reclaim it,” Gomes wrote while sharing the screenshot of the ad.
Legal experts have also pointed out that such an exclusionary clause could violate constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination, as well as provisions under property and housing laws.
“This kind of language is not only unethical but may also be illegal,” said a Panaji-based lawyer, urging authorities to take cognizance of the matter.
Following the backlash, the administrators of the Facebook page reportedly removed the post by Wednesday evening.
The controversy has reignited long-standing concerns over the surge in land purchases by non-locals, rising property prices, and the perceived erosion of Goan identity and heritage.
Many see the incident as yet another reminder of the urgent need for policies that protect Goans’ access to land while safeguarding the State’s cultural and social fabric.
