PANAJI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a scathing attack on the Pramod Sawant-led BJP government, dismissing its proposed 50% bus fare concession for women as a “pre-election jumla” aimed at misleading voters ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly polls.
Speaking at a press conference today, AAP Working President Valmiki Naik alleged that the scheme was not a genuine welfare measure, but a desperate political stunt by the BJP to regain the trust of women voters, who he said had been repeatedly betrayed by the ruling party.
“Women in Goa are fed up with the BJP’s broken promises and policy failures. This bus fare concession is just another gimmick, an attempt to copy Arvind Kejriwal’s successful initiatives in Delhi and Punjab, but without sincerity or planning,” Naik said.
Referring to the Free Water Scheme that was introduced and later discontinued by the Sawant government, Naik claimed the Chief Minister had a history of rolling back welfare initiatives after elections. “We all remember how he abruptly ended the free water scheme and labelled Goans as ‘chor’ (thieves). If re-elected, he will do the same with this scheme, call women freeloaders and withdraw the benefit,” he alleged.
Naik also accused the government of diluting existing schemes by adding conditions and bureaucratic hurdles, thereby reducing the number of women who could actually benefit. “Before elections, they promised Rs 2,500 monthly to all women. After winning, they conveniently backtracked. That’s the real face of BJP when it comes to women’s welfare,” he said.
AAP leader Suvarna Harmalkar echoed Naik’s views, stating that the issues faced by women, including price rise, unemployment, safety, healthcare, and delays in welfare schemes, had remained unaddressed for years.
