Tension gripped Margao on Friday after residents of Mirabag and social activ ists protesting against the proposed Mirabag Bandara project were detained by police from Lohia Maidan and taken to the South Goa District Police Headquar ters, triggering sharp alle gations that the State gov ernment was attempting to silence dissent. The protesters had gathered at Lohia Maidan in the morning after shift ing their agitation from Mirabag in a bid to draw wider public attention to their opposition to the project. Several social ac tivists from across Salcete joined the demonstration, raising slogans against the government and demand ing that the project be scrapped. However, the protest took a dramatic turn when police officials asked the demonstrators to produce proof of permission to hold the agitation at the ground. Protesters maintained that an application had been submitted to the Margao Municipal Council, but the authorities had failed to re spond.
With no formal permis sion granted, police asked the protesters to vacate the Maidan. When the demonstrators refused to leave, police moved in and detained them, tak ing the protesters to the South Goa District Police Headquarters. Even after being taken to the police station, the protesters continued rais ing slogans against the State government and the proposed project. The sit uation turned tense when a senior police officer ob jected to slogans directed at the Chief Minister, trig gering a heated verbal ex change between protesters and police officials. South Goa Member of Parliament Captain Viriato Fernandes, who had earlier visited the site, intervened and asserted that citizens had every right to raise slo gans and demand justice. He also asked the police to specify any guidelines restricting slogans, but of ficials were unable to pro vide a clear answer. In an interesting act of defiance, a group of women performed the traditional Fugdi dance inside the Margao Police Station to draw attention to their demands. The un usual protest, blending culture with resistance, surprised many present as the women used the traditional Goan dance form to highlight their opposition to the Mirabag Bandara project.
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Later, Deputy Collector of Margao Ganesh Barve arrived at the police station and urged the protesters to disperse. However, the demonstrators refused to leave the premises until all those detained during the protest were released. Protesters slammed the government’s action as an at tempt at “killing democracy”, arguing that peaceful protest and freedom of expression were fundamental rights. They maintained that the authorities were trying to suppress public opposition rather than address concerns over the controversial project. Opposition to the Mirabag Bandara has been steadily gathering momentum, with residents accusing the State government of ignoring public concerns about the poten tial impact of the project on local communities.
Solidarity with the agitation was also seen in Curchorem, where shopkeepers partially shut their establishments in support of the Mirabag protesters. Shops across the bazaar downed shutters for half an hour from 12 pm to 12.30 pm in a symbolic show of unity. “If people show unity, only then will this destructive bandara be stopped. We stand with the protesters of Mira bag. This bandara will not only affect Mirabag but will also impact people in Sanguem and Curchorem. It could destroy houses located near the Zuari river. A coal jetty may also come up here. We all need to come together and stop these projects to protect future generations from the harmful im pacts,” said Sidharth Vast, a shopowner from Curchorem.
