Oppn parties in Goa condemn attack on activist, seek arrest of `mastermind'

Panaji, Sep 19 (PTI) Opposition leaders in Goa on Friday took out a march to the chief minister's residence to protest against an attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, in a social media post, alleged that the law and order machinery had completely failed in the BJP-ruled state.

Five persons were arrested following the brutal attack on Kankonkar near Panaji on Thursday afternoon while one person is still at large, according to police.

Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Yuri Alemao, MLAs Vijai Sardesai (Goa Forward party), Carlos Alvares Ferreira (Congress), Venzy Viegas (AAP), Goa Congress president Amit Patkar and vice president Sunil Kawthankar, state AAP chief Amit Palekar and others gathered at Azad Maidan on Friday morning to protest against the incident.

"This is a death of democracy. The voice of the people is being muzzled by the government. A social activist has been attacked in broad daylight," Alemao said, addressing the gathering.

The real mastermind of the attack should be arrested, he demanded.

The protesters then marched to the BJP office in the city and also to the official residence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

As police stopped them on the way, the protesters blocked the D B Bandodkar road, an important thoroughfare.

Later, a delegation of social activists met chief minister Sawant at his residence.

Talking to reporters afterwards, Sawant said criminal gangs and their operations will not be tolerated in the state. He was considering invoking the National Security Act against the accused as demanded by the activists, he added.

Earlier in the day, in a post on X, Kejriwal said, "Shocked to hear about the brutal assault on social activist Rama Kankonkar, in broad daylight. Gang wars, drugs, harassment of women and now this assault — show a complete failure of the law and order machinery under the BJP in Goa." Sawant, meanwhile, also visited the Goa Medical College hospital and met Kankonkar who is undergoing treatment there. PTI RPS ARU KRK