Panaji: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa unit on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as Home Minister, alleging that the state government had failed to curb drug trafficking and organised crime in Goa.
AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik, along with party vice presidents Manuel Cardoso and Sunil Signapurkar, alleged that drugs were available across the state and called for a comprehensive anti-drug strategy on the lines of Punjab.
Naik questioned the government’s ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ campaign and said that before speaking about making India drug-free, the Chief Minister should first make Sankhali drug-free.
Comparing Goa with Punjab, Naik said the AAP government in Punjab had taken steps against narcotics after coming to power in 2022. He claimed that Punjab had registered thousands of cases, arrested drug peddlers, seized properties linked to traffickers, created anti-narcotics task forces and strengthened rehabilitation programmes.
Naik said Goa needed similar measures and also demanded an investigation into whether money generated through the drug trade was being used to influence elections in the state.
He alleged that the BJP government had failed to act against people linked to the drug trade.
He also referred to the recent exposure of a drug cartel allegedly operating from Colvale Jail and said the case being investigated by agencies from outside Goa raised questions about the state’s law enforcement system.
AAP vice president Manuel Cardoso said the drug trade in Goa had reached a level where large-scale operations could not function without support from politicians and sections of the police. He said drugs were openly available in tourist areas such as Calangute and called for increased police deployment and patrolling.
Signapurkar said tackling the drug menace required political will and alleged that the government had failed to take action against organised crime.
