Congress Burns Effigies of Eight ‘Defectasurs’ in Margao on Diwali Eve, Calls Political Betrayal the Real Evil Facing Goa

Girish Chodankar says those who betrayed Congress voters for power and political gains cannot escape the people’s verdict; Congress vows to continue the fight against political opportunism

Goa Khabar:In a powerful symbolic protest on the eve of Diwali, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) burnt the effigies of eight Congress defectors, branding them as ‘Defectasurs’, in Margao, sending a strong message against political betrayal and the robbery of the people’s mandate.

Just as Narkasur is traditionally burnt to symbolise the victory of good over evil, Congress workers burnt the effigies of Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delaila Lobo, Sankalp Amonkar, Aleixo Sequeira, Kedar Naik, Rudolf Fernandes and Rajesh Faldesai, accusing them of betraying the trust of voters who elected them on Congress tickets before switching allegiance to the BJP.

The protest highlighted how these legislators secured the people’s mandate in the name of Congress but subsequently abandoned the party and joined the BJP, allegedly lured by money, power and political positions under the pretext of development. Congress alleged that their actions amounted to a direct betrayal of the electorate and a blatant robbery of the democratic mandate.

The party questioned what development these defectors had actually delivered after abandoning the ideology and mandate on which they were elected. Congress maintained that the people of Goa have been left with nothing but broken promises, political opportunism and a government that continues to disregard public concerns.

Addressing the gathering, GPCC President Girish Chodankar said, “Every Diwali, Goans burn Narkasur as a symbol of the victory of good over evil. Today, we have burnt the effigies of eight political Defectasurs who betrayed the trust of the people and robbed the mandate given to them in the name of Congress. They sought votes on the Congress symbol, made promises to the people and then abandoned their voters to join the BJP for money and power. They shamelessly justified their betrayal in the name of development, but what development have they delivered? Development cannot be an excuse for political dishonesty. The greatest casualty of these defections has been democracy itself. The people’s mandate is not private property of an elected representative to be traded for personal gains. The people of Goa will never forget this betrayal, and these defectors will have to face the people’s court. Our message is clear: Goa must defeat the evil of political betrayal and restore the dignity of its democratic mandate.”

GPCC Working President M.K. Shaikh said, “These eight defectors have insulted the intelligence of Goan voters. They were elected because people trusted the Congress party and its promises. After winning, they switched sides for their own political interests. No amount of justification can wash away this betrayal. The people will deliver their verdict at the appropriate time.”

GPCC Minority Department Chairman Nazir Khan said, “The burning of these Defectasur effigies is a symbolic protest against the politics of greed, betrayal and opportunism. Democracy survives on the trust between voters and their elected representatives. Those who violate that trust for personal benefits must be held politically accountable. Goa deserves honest representatives, not political traders.”

GPCC leader Chirag Naik said, “Narkasur represents evil, arrogance and injustice. Political defection after seeking votes in the name of one party is equally an attack on the people’s faith in democracy. The youth of Goa will not accept politics where public trust is treated as a commodity. We want accountable leadership and representatives who stand by their promises.”

GPCC Media Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar said, “The eight Defectasurs represent the darkest face of political opportunism. They asked people for votes in the name of Congress, enjoyed the confidence and mandate of the electorate and then switched allegiance for power and political benefits. This was not a change of political ideology; it was a betrayal of the voters. Burning their effigies on the eve of Diwali is a symbolic declaration that the people of Goa will not remain silent spectators to the murder of democratic values. The real Diwali will come when political dishonesty, greed and betrayal are defeated and the people’s mandate is respected.”

The protest was held under the leadership of GPCC President Girish Chodankar, with the participation of Working Presidents M.K. Shaikh and Sunil Kawthankar.

Among those present were General Secretary Pradip Naik, Media Department Chairman Amarnath Panjikar, Social Media Chairman Himanshu Tivrekar, District Presidents Assiz Noronha, Rajesh Verekar, Mangaldas Naik and Shashank Narvekar, Mahila Congress President Pratiksha Khalap, Youth Congress President Archit Naik, Minority Department Chairman Nazir Khan, OBC Department Chairman Sharad Chopdekar, Adivasi Department Chairman Ramkrishna Jalmi, Chirag Naik, Pauslip Dorado and General Secretaries Everson Valles, Moreno Rebello, Joseph Vaz, Manohar Naik, Hassan Mansoor, Shabhnam Khan, Pratima Coutinho, Satyawan Gaonkar, Satyawan Talvadkar, Milind Prabhu, Shivprasad Shirodkar, Daya Gaonkar, Vivek D’Silva, Lorenco Silva, Narayan Redkar and several other party functionaries and workers.

The Congress leaders reiterated that the party would continue its fight against political defections and demand accountability from those who betrayed the people’s mandate.