गोवा खबर
AAP organises public protest against Sunburn Festival to express concerns of South Goa people
Feeling Babdo/Sympathetic? Move Sunburn to Sankhali: Amit Palekar challenges CM
Cruz Silva slams government for allowing Sunburn Festival amid rising Drug issues
Sunburn Festival is a hotbed of corruption & drugs: Valmiki Naik
South Goa residents join AAP protest against Sunburn Festival
Goa Khabar:The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a public protest at the South Goa Collectorate in Margao to voice strong opposition to the Sunburn Festival. The protest aimed to highlight the concerns of South Goa residents regarding the festival’s negative impact.
AAP Goa President, Adv. Amit Palekar, took a sharp jab at CM Pramod Sawant, stating, “If the CM feels sympathy for the Sunburn organisers, he should hold the festival in his Sankhali constituency instead of allowing it in South Goa.”
Palekar further added, “We’ve heard numerous reports of alcohol and drug abuse during the Sunburn Festival. It also negatively impacts local businesses. Drugs have spread across Goa. Although AAP has organised this protest, it is not a political platform but a platform for the people of South Goa. We want to voice their concerns. After destroying North Goa, if the government plans to destroy South Goa, we will not let it happen.”
AAP Velim MLA Engr. Cruz Silva, expressed deep concerns about drugs infiltrating Goa’s villages and schools. “Our government has already failed to curb rampant drug use. If the festival comes to South Goa, it will destroy our culture. We’ve seen how Sunburn has eroded North Goa’s culture over the years, with death cases reported due to drug overdoses,” Silva stated.
AAP’s Working President, Valmiki Naik, criticised the BJP government, calling the Sunburn Festival a “festival of corruption, drugs, and destruction of Goa.” He accused the government of delaying permission for the festival while organisers sell tickets without due approvals, knowing they can meet the demands of corrupt politicians and ministers.
“Due to Sunburn, North Goa has been devastated. Outsiders now believe anything is possible here—selling drugs, selling land—without facing consequences. Drugs are facilitated by the police and politicians. Instead of stopping drugs, our ministers are promoting the Sunburn Festival,” Naik remarked.
Naik said, “If the BJP government aims to combat drug abuse, then stop organising the Sunburn Festival. Recently, Punjab’s AAP government established a special high-tech intelligence unit to monitor communications and money transfers of drug dealers, who are now using advanced technology for their operations. It’s crucial for the Goa government to take similar steps to prevent the spread of drugs. If you’re serious about tackling this issue, communicate with the AAP government. We are ready to assist.”
Many citizens and activists of South Goa attended the protest.
Goa Forward leader Vikas Bhagat stated that “Whenever Goa has faced critical issues, such as the opinion poll, or the language agitation, the people of South Goa have always been at the forefront. This time, we will again lead the fight against the Sunburn Festival because it has damaged our beautiful state.”