NT Reporter
Panaji
Giving a new twist to the cases filed in connection with anti-Section 39A protests, the Panaji police have begun summoning people who participated in the agitation demanding the revocation of the controversial provision of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.
The police had registered three FIRs related to the protests led by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, who demanded the scrapping of Section 39A of the TCP Act.
Borkar was named in two cases, while Opposition leader Yuri Alemao and MLAs Venzy Viegas, Carlos Alvares Ferreira, and Cruz Silva and others were named in the case concerning the sit-in protest held outside TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane’s residence in Dona Paula.
Former AAP Goa president and lawyer Amit Palekar told mediapersons that three summons have been issued by the police.
“Summons have been issued to Mogambo, Gajanan, and Francis… why only these three? I feel this is vindictiveness because they have constantly raised issues against the government. This is harassment, and Goans must rise against it,” Palekar said.
Borkar, along with youth activist Tushar Gawas, staged a hunger strike for six days at Azad Maidan against Section 39A, which allows changes in land-use zones.
The St Andre legislator withdrew the indefinite strike on Thursday after the government moved to suspend proposals for land conversions under Section 39A in his constituency, and after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured that the three FIRs registered against the agitators would not be pursued.
Following the withdrawal of the fast, Borkar and Gawas were admitted to a city hospital on Friday and discharged on Saturday.
Upon his discharge, Borkar appealed to all MLAs to support discussion on scrapping Section 39A in the Assembly during the upcoming budget session.
“The fight against Section 39A will continue until the provision is scrapped. Everyone wants this section removed. I request all MLAs to reflect on the issue,” he said.
Responding to a question, Borkar added, “There will be public pressure on MLAs. It is time for people to question their representatives regarding the scrapping of Section 39A of the TCP Act.”
He further stated, “I have also moved four private members’ bills and I appeal to MLAs to support them.”
The four bills are: The TCP (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (to scrap Section 39A); The Goa Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (to define mega projects and empower gram sabhas); The Goa Land Protection and Conservation Bill, 2026 and The Goa Protection of Agricultural Land Bill, 2026.
