St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar speaks to media after he was evicted from the TCP office in Panaji on Saturday.
PANAJI
The overnight sit in agitation by Palem-Siridao villagers at the Town and Country Planning (TCP) department's headquarters in the city escalated dramatically on Saturday when St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar and the protesters were dragged out by the police after a scuffle.
The protest, demanding cancellation of a proposed zoning change under Section 39 (A) in the St Andre constituency, had begun on Friday and the protesters, including several women stayed put overnight.
After the protesters were removed, Borkar, who had joined them announced that he would begin an indefinite fast until the zoning proposal was scrapped. He also said a large public meeting has been convened at Azad Maidan at 10 am on Sunday to oppose Section 39A of the TCP Act.
He accused police of manhandling him, claiming he was injured when officers forcibly removed him from the premises.
An ambulance was later called to examine him and other protesters.
On Friday morning, Borkar had joined the villagers to stage the sit in at the TCP office which went on till late evening as no official assurance was forthcoming.
Later, the protesters decided to continue their sit-in through the night.
On Saturday morning, police entered the office and attempted to evict them and in the ensuing commotion, pushing and shoving, Borkar alleged he was assaulted.
Opposition leaders Yuri Alemao and Venzy Viegas rushed to the protest venue and extended support, condemning the police action.
Later, the protesters marched to Azad Maidan, where Borkar began his indefinite fast.
Later, MLAs Carlos Ferreira and Cruz Silva also came to show support. Environmentalist Claude Alvares, and several civil society groups also publicly backed the protest.
Borkar meanwhile, has demanded suspension of the police personnel involved in the scuffle and reiterated that the zoning changes must be reverted.
He said the government had failed to give a clear assurance despite repeated appeals.
“We will continue the fast until our demand is met,” he declared.
Alemao accused the BJP government of reducing law and order to a “puppet show”. He said the police acted without written orders and must face suspension.
TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane meanwhile has dismissed the agitation as “blackmail tactics.”
He argued that laws are made in the Assembly, not on the streets but Borkar hit back, citing projects like GMC, FDA, and military camps that displaced villagers without providing jobs.
Borkar also announced he would move a breach of privilege motion in the upcoming budget session of the Assembly against the police action of dragging him out of the TCP premises, adding that legal proceedings would follow.
The agitation has highlighted deep tensions over planning decisions in St Andre, with villagers insisting they will not back down until Section 39(A) zoning changes are scrapped.
