Panaji, August 5: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Goa Government of using police deployment to intimidate villagers protesting against the proposed Karapur mega project and reiterated its demand for the scrapping of Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act.

AAP Goa State President Valmiki Naik and Vice President Sunil Signapurkar visited the Karapur protesters and activist Rama Kankonkar at Azad Maidan, where the agitation has continued for over 122 days. The protesters are demanding the repeal of Section 39A and the cancellation of all permissions granted to the Lodha mega project.

Addressing the media, Valmiki Naik alleged that the heavy police deployment during the recent Karapur Gram Sabha was an attempt by the BJP Government to intimidate villagers.

“By heavily deploying police at the Gram Sabha, the BJP has tried to intimidate the villagers. This intimidation will not stop people but rather unite them even more,” Naik said.

He claimed that despite the Government’s efforts, public resistance against the project continues to grow and warned that any attempt to suppress democratic protests would ultimately strengthen the movement.

Naik also demanded a thorough investigation into the recent hit-and-run incident in which two women travelling to participate in the Karapur protest were injured. He urged the Government to determine whether the incident was accidental or a deliberate attempt to target the protesters and called for strict action if foul play is established.

Referring to the prolonged agitation, Naik said the determination shown by the people of Karapur was unprecedented.

“For 122 days, the people of this small village have continued their protest. Yet not a single BJP MLA has made any serious effort to engage with them,” he said.

He further alleged that even after the protesters travelled to New Delhi and demonstrated at Jantar Mantar seeking justice, the Government remained indifferent because of its alleged proximity to the developers behind the project.

Naik appealed directly to Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant to personally visit Azad Maidan and meet the protesters.

“The Chief Minister should meet the protesters as the Chief Minister of Goa, not as a broker for builders,” he said, urging Dr. Sawant to uphold the dignity of his office by engaging with Rama Kankonkar and the Karapur villagers.

The AAP leader also criticised the Government over the conduct of Assembly sessions, alleging that important issues, including Section 39A, were being avoided by curtailing the duration of legislative sittings. He claimed that the people of Goa would hold the BJP accountable in the 2027 Assembly elections.

AAP Vice President Sunil Signapurkar appealed to all Goans, including BJP supporters, to visit the protest site and understand the concerns of the villagers firsthand. He alleged that the Government had failed to protect Goa’s interests on several issues, including the Mhadei water dispute, and accused it of prioritising the interests of large developers over those of ordinary citizens.

Reiterating the party’s political commitment, the AAP leaders said that if voted to power in Goa, the party would repeal Section 39A and revoke all permissions granted to mega projects under the provision within one month.

The Karapur agitation has emerged as one of Goa’s longest-running public protests, with villagers and activists continuing to oppose the mega development project while demanding greater transparency and protection of land and environmental interests.