Panaji: Congress party members, including opposition leader Yuri Alemao and party president Amit Patkar, were detained on Tuesday by the Panaji police while trying to walk in a protest march to Raj Bhavan from Dona Paula circle. They were protesting over the indictment of the Adani Group and its associates by the US department of justice, allegedly exposing a web of corruption.
The Congress workers were blocked near the main entrance of Raj Bhavan. They were detained and taken to Agassaim police station.
“Goa police is working on the behest of the BJP. We have a right to protest,” Yuri said. Stating that they were marching peacefully, he said, “We wanted to tell govt how the ‘Modani’ govt is functioning, how there is a nexus between the BJP and Adani. He was booked in the US for cheating; we expected that he would be arrested,” Alemao said.
He stated that whenever the opposition raises its voice, they are detained, arrested, and put behind bars.
Patkar said that the Congress party will not remain silent. He alleged that the BJP is shielding its crony capitalist friends and blocking the truth from reaching the people. “This fight is for justice, accountability, and the people of Goa,” he said.
Patkar also mentioned that the Congress will take a protest march to the chief minister Pramod Sawant’s official residence at Altinho, Panaji, on Saturday to highlight govt’s failure to address critical issues affecting the people.