Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee on Tuesday criticised the BJP government for not protecting the dignity of women.
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Manisha Usgaonkar, GPCC General Secretary, accompanied by Zilla Panchayat (ZP) member Michelle Moreno Rebelo and Goa Adivasi Congress chairman Ramkrishna Jalmi, addressing a press conference at the Congress office in Margao, asserted that the BJP government has failed on all fronts.
Praising the Leader of Opposition (LoP), Yuri Alemao, Usgaonkar noted that he had compelled the police to act on the issue of escort service websites. “Several escort websites are operating in Goa, tarnishing the State’s reputation and creating an image that Goa is known for such services. However, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, failed to identify and act against these websites. The police department only sprang into action after our leader Yuri Alemao raised the issue,” she stated.
Criticising the BJP’s stance on women’s issues, Usgaonkar added, “BJP boasts of Nari Shakti and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, but this government has failed to respect women. They talk about women’s reservation but have not inducted a single woman legislator into the cabinet. This exposes the BJP’s double standards. Women ministers would have better understood these issues and acted promptly.”
She further remarked, “A cabinet that includes ministers with charges of rape and other offences will never work in the interest of women or the public. Can we expect a healthy social environment from lawbreakers?”
Usgaonkar warned of street protests if the police department failed to take decisive action against all escort websites. “This action should not be superficial. We demand that all such websites be blocked as they harm Goa’s image,” she asserted.
Michelle Moreno Rebelo also criticised the BJP government for its inability to curb these websites. “This failure highlights the incompetence of the Goa police’s intelligence and the Information and Technology Department. They lack control over such activities but are quick to act when criticised, lodging complaints against social media influencers,” Rebelo said.
Ramkrishna Jalmi echoed these concerns, stating that escort websites bring disgrace to Goa’s rich cultural heritage. “These websites encourage unruly behaviour among tourists towards our women and locals by portraying Goa as a hub for escort services. The government must block these sites with a ‘double engine’. If they fail, they should admit their incompetence,” he said.
