Valmiki Naik slams BJP for police intimidation of Karapur protestors at Gram sabha; says more the lathis, more the people will unite

Goa Khabar : AAP Goa State President Valmiki Naik and Vice President Sunil Signapurkar visited Karapur protesters and Rama Kankonkar at Azad Maidan, where they are continuing their agitation demanding the scrapping of Section 39A and the revocation of all permissions granted to the Lodha Mega Project.

Valmiki Naik stated that Government is afraid of the people, pointing to the heavy deployment of police personnel during the Karapur Gram Sabha placed to intimidated the protestors. He also demanded investigation into hit and run case of women who were walking to protest site. He stated that no amount of police deployment or lathi charges can silence the voice of the people and that the more the Government attempts to suppress public movements, the stronger and more united the people will become and government will pay it’s price in 2027 elections

AAP Goa President Valmiki Naik said he wished to offer one piece of advice to the BJP Government, look at the determination of the people of Karapur, who have continued their agitation for 122 days. He stated that never before has such a prolonged protest been carried out in such a small village, yet not a single BJP MLA has made any serious effort to reach out to the protesters.

Valmiki Naik said that even when the protesters travelled to Jantar Mantar in Delhi to seek justice, the Government remained indifferent because the Lodha Mega Project is the BJP’s “family business”, with those involved close to the BJP

He further stated that the Government is afraid of the people, pointing to the heavy deployment of police personnel during the Karapur Gram Sabha. However, he said the youth of the country have already shown on 20 July that people are no longer afraid of intimidation. He stated that no amount of police deployment or lathi charges can silence the voice of the people and that the more the Government attempts to suppress public movements, the stronger and more united the people will become.

Valmiki Naik also referred to the recent hit-and-run incident in which two women travelling to participate in the protest were injured after being hit by a vehicle. He demanded a thorough investigation into whether the incident was a deliberate attempt to target the protesters and urged the Government not to treat the matter lightly.

Appealing directly to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, Valmiki Naik urged him to show humanity and compassion towards the protesters by personally meeting them at Azad Maidan. He said the Chief Minister should visit them in his capacity as the head of the Government and not as someone protecting the interests of builders. He urged the Chief Minister to uphold the dignity of his office by meeting Rama Kankonkar and the Karapur protesters.

Valmiki Naik further said that the Chief Minister has repeatedly avoided facing the people. He said the Assembly session in March was cut short citing the Model Code of Conduct, while the current Monsoon Session has also been shortened to avoid answering serious issues affecting Goa, including Section 39A. He claimed that the Chief Minister is aware that the BJP Government’s days are numbered and stated that by January 2027, Dr. Pramod Sawant would no longer remain Chief Minister. He added that the manner in which the Government is treating the people today will be answered by the electorate in the 2027 Assembly elections.

AAP Vice President Sunil Signapurkar called upon every Goan to join the movement to save Goa. He appealed especially to BJP supporters to visit the protest site, witness the reality for themselves and understand how the BJP Government is destroying Goa. He stated that the BJP Government had already failed to protect Goa’s interests in the Mhadei issue, leaving the State vulnerable when the monsoon was delayed and water reserves were sufficient for only a limited period.

The AAP leaders reiterated that if the party comes to power in Goa, it will scrap Section 39A and revoke every permission granted to mega projects under it within a month.