Join WhatsApp Group
Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram WhatsApp
    Trending
    • Mirabag protesters who raised slogans from Assembly gallery released
    • Mystery Surrounds Death Of Cavelossim Man Found In Well
    • Sugarcane Farmers Decline as Sanjivani Sugar Factory Remains Shut
    • Talent Development Centre Nears Completion; IGNOU Seeks Land for Regional Centre at Farmagudi
    • “To begin with, the concerns of villagers and activists opposing the dam cannot simply be dismissed. Development projects, especially large water infrastructure, inevitably bring difficult trade offs. While governments argue such projects are necessary for long term water security, people living in the affected areas worry about displacement, loss of homes and ecological damage. These anxieties are neither irrational nor illegitimate. In any democracy, citizens have the right to question projects that may alter their lives and landscapes. Yet, the method of protest used inside the Assembly is difficult to justify. A legislature is not a street corner or a public rally ground. It is the state’s highest deliberative body where elected representatives debate and decide policy. The visitors’ gallery exists so citizens can observe the proceedings of their government, not intervene in them.” Protest, Privilege and the Limits of Assembly Decorum The brief disruption inside the Goa Legislative Assembly by protesters opposing the proposed Zuari dam has sparked a debate that goes beyond a single incident. At its core are larger questions about democratic dissent, institutional sanctity and the responsibility of those in power. A group of protesters in the visitors’ gallery raised slogans and displayed placards against the project, forcing the Assembly to halt proceedings briefly. Security personnel removed them and they were detained. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reacted strongly, describing the act as a “terrorist kind of attitude” and calling for strict action. The episode deserves careful reflection rather than instant outrage. To begin with, the concerns of villagers and activists opposing the dam cannot simply be dismissed. Development projects, especially large water infrastructure, inevitably bring difficult trade offs. While governments argue such projects are necessary for long term water security, people living in the affected areas worry about displacement, loss of homes and ecological damage. These anxieties are neither irrational nor illegitimate. In any democracy, citizens have the right to question projects that may alter their lives and landscapes. Yet, the method of protest used inside the Assembly is difficult to justify. A legislature is not a street corner or a public rally ground. It is the state’s highest deliberative body where elected representatives debate and decide policy. The visitors’ gallery exists so citizens can observe the proceedings of their government, not intervene in them. Allowing demonstrations from the gallery would set a dangerous precedent. If one group can shout slogans inside the Assembly today, another group with a different cause might attempt the same tomorrow. Soon the chamber could become vulnerable to disruptions that undermine the very process of democratic decision making. Security considerations alone make such acts unacceptable. The Assembly must remain a controlled and orderly space. That said, the government’s reaction has also raised uncomfortable questions. Describing the protesters as terrorists or likening their behaviour to terrorism is a serious exaggeration. Terrorism involves violence, intimidation and threats to life. What happened in the Assembly was a breach of decorum and security, not an act of terror. Political leaders must be careful with their language. When dissenters are casually labelled as terrorists, it weakens democratic discourse and turns political disagreement into criminal suspicion. Governments have every right to enforce rules and maintain order. Those who disrupt the Assembly can face legal consequences for violating security protocols. But the state must distinguish between maintaining institutional discipline and demonising dissent. Another important issue is how the protesters entered the visitors’ gallery in the first place. Access to legislative galleries is not random. Visitors typically receive passes issued through legislators or authorised channels. If individuals were able to enter with placards and stage a coordinated protest, the Assembly administration must examine whether there were lapses in screening or oversight. Blaming the protesters alone would ignore this procedural failure. A proper inquiry should establish who recommended the passes and whether security checks were followed. There is also a political dimension that cannot be ignored. In many states, protest movements often have shifting alliances with political parties. Individuals who once supported a party or its leaders sometimes turn into critics when policy decisions affect their communities. Such shifts are part of the messy reality of democratic politics. That complexity, however, should not be used to discredit the substance of their concerns. Even if some protesters once sympathised with the ruling party, their fears about displacement or environmental impact still deserve to be heard. The real challenge for the government lies not in suppressing protests but in addressing the underlying grievances. If the Zuari dam project is essential, the administration must explain its benefits clearly, publish detailed impact assessments and present credible rehabilitation plans for affected families. Transparency is the most effective antidote to suspicion. The Assembly disruption was clearly wrong. Legislative spaces must remain protected from such intrusions. But the response must also remain proportionate. Democracies weaken when institutions lose authority, but they weaken just as much when governments treat dissent as hostility. In the end, both sides crossed a line. Protesters should not have turned the Assembly gallery into a stage for agitation. The government, in turn, should resist the temptation to brand critics as enemies of the state. Democracy survives when institutions remain strong and dissent remains legitimate. Neither should be sacrificed in the heat of political confrontation.
    • *”BJP Govt’s Silence Forced Mirabag Protesters to Act:” Vijai Sardesai Stands Strong With Protestors*
    • CM Orders Thorough Probe into Pernem Assault on Advocate
    • ‘It’s War Time, Show Must Not Go On’: Prabhav Naik Slams Govt Publicity Events
    Login
    Saturday, March 7
    Goemkarponn – Goa NewsGoemkarponn – Goa News
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    ePaper
    • Home
    • Goa News
    • Business
    • Political News
    • Local News
    • Goemkar Special
    • Travel
    • More
      • Top News
      • Sports
      • Crime
      • Snippets
      • Off Beat
    • Contact Us
    Goemkarponn – Goa NewsGoemkarponn – Goa News

    Decision on re-opening of schools will be taken only after October 2: CM

    Goa News September 17, 2020

    Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant today stated that the decision on re-opening of schools will be taken only after October…

    The 36th National Games allotted to Goa have been postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic

    Goa News September 17, 2020

    The 36th National Games allotted to Goa, which was scheduled from 20.10.2020 to 04.11.2020, had been postponeddue to outbreak of…

    CCP issues work order for 310 Sulabh toilets in city; total project cost is Rs 1.61 Crore: Madkaikar

    Local News September 17, 2020

    PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) today has issued work order for 310 Sulabh toilets in the…

    Govt must immediately either take over private hospitals treating Covid patients or announce subsidised charges for patients: Girish

    Local News September 17, 2020

    Margao – The BJP Government under Dr. Pramod Sawant must immediately either take over private hospitals treating Covid…

    Saligao VP to stop road-side fish sales, asks vendors to move in panchayat compound

    Local News September 17, 2020

    In a bid to regulate fishing business in the panchayat jurisdiction, the  Saligao village panchayat has decided to bring all…

    Calangute police nab three for looting tourists at Porvorim on dacoity charge

    Goa News September 16, 2020

    Three persons have been arrested by Calangute police in dacoity case for looting tourists on pretext of providing accommodation. Accused…

    CM is acting against the wishes & better interests of our naturally endowed Goa: Khaunte

    Local News September 16, 2020

    It’s a sad state of affairs for nature loving Goans that our own CM is acting against the wishes and…

    Previous 1 … 5,345 5,346 5,347 5,348 5,349 … 5,467 Next
    Archives
    • March 2026
    • February 2026
    • January 2026
    • December 2025
    • November 2025
    • October 2025
    • September 2025
    • August 2025
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • August 2023
    • July 2023
    • June 2023
    • May 2023
    • April 2023
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    Categories
    • Big Story
    • Business News
    • Crime
    • Goa News
    • Goemkar Special
    • Health
    • India News
    • Local News
    • Off Beat
    • Opinion
    • Political News
    • Snippets
    • Sports
    • Top News
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • Videos
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refund Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Shipping and Delivery Policy
    • Subscription
    • Contact Us
    Goemkarponn © 2026 - Powered by ContentOcean Infotech.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Lost password?