The opposition strongly condemned the police action on the protesting Shel-Melauli villagers.
Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat said that he condemns the high-handedness of the police force and other government authorities on the Shel-Melauli villagers. “The brutal lathicharge and use of teargas on the villagers, once again reflects dictatorship of the BJP-led government,” he said.
Goa Forward Party (GFP) president and MLA Vijai Sardesai accused the government of suppressing the people’s voice. “These are the directions of Team BJP towards Team Goa. While Goemkars exercise their constitutional liberties, the Dr Pramod Sawant government wants to silence and suppress our voices,” he said. Sardesai called Goans to unit to save Goa from the ‘tyranny’ of the Sawant-led government.
Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte charged that Goa is becoming a police State. “Using police force to curb democratic protests seems to have become the habitual operandi of the government under Sawant,” he said. “First the coal protests and now Melauli. Goa is sure becoming a police State under the Chief Minister,” he added.
