Panaji : Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday visited St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, who has been admitted to a private hospital in Panaji following the withdrawal of the hunger strike that had been resorted to demand the revocation of Section 39A of the Goa Town and Country Planning Act.
“After six relentless days of the hunger strike, Viresh Borkar and Tushar Gawas have been admitted to the hospital. Their sacrifice is not a pause in the movement; it is a proof of their commitment. This fight is far from over. Section 39A will be scrapped; and we will continue to stand united until justice is delivered,” the Revolutionary Goans Party posted on its social media account.
Both are currently under observation. Borkar withdrew the indefinite hunger strike on Thursday after the government climbed down from its position.
The government moved to suspend land conversion proposals under Section 39A in St Andre Assembly constituency, and after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured that the three FIRs registered against agitators would not be pursued.
The government has also assured that discussion would be held in the Assembly during the upcoming budget session on the demand pertaining to the scrapping of the controversial provision.
Borkar submitted four Private Members’ Bills – 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.
The St Andre legislator has warned that if Section 39A is not scrapped then the agitation would return and turn into mega protests.
