Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Amit Patkar today strongly condemned the decision to bar local Goan media from covering Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s program in the state.
“This act is not only undemocratic but a direct insult to the people of Goa. When Amit Shah visits, the local press – the true voice of Goans – is denied entry. This clearly shows that the BJP is afraid to face questions on burning issues such as rising unemployment, Mhadei diversion, rampant land scams, collapse of health and education systems, rising crime, erosion of Goa’s unique identity, and the government’s failure to notify Mhadei as a Tiger Reserve,” Patkar said.
He pointed out that there are no guidelines from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that permit barring local media from covering such events. “This is not about security or protocol – it is about shielding Amit Shah and the BJP from accountability. Silencing the press is an assault on democracy,” he added.
Patkar warned that Goans will not forgive the BJP for attempting to silence the local media. “The press has always stood by the people of Goa, and no government can muzzle their voice. If Amit Shah cannot face local journalists, it only shows how rattled the BJP is by the truth of their failures,” he said.
He demanded that the Government of Goa clarify under what authority the local media was barred and reaffirmed Congress’s commitment to standing with the Goan press and people in defending democracy.
