Panaji: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP within 24 hours for allegedly referring to protesting youth as “termites”. Congress warned that it would launch a statewide agitation if the ruling party failed to withdraw the remarks attributed to BJP vice president and former MP Narendra Sawaikar.
A social media post by the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Sawaikar reading, “Cockroaches with the termites! Save the nation!” posted against the backdrop of the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party-led youth protests, has sparked criticism from the public and opposition parties in Goa.
The Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Goa Forward Party condemned the remark, calling it an insult to the protesting youth and demanded an apology.
Congress working president Sunil Kawthankar termed the remark an insult to Goa’s youth and accused the BJP of displaying a “colonial and dictatorial mindset”.
“During British rule, freedom fighters were treated like insects. Today, the BJP is using the same language against young people who are protesting peacefully for their future. These students are raising issues such as the cash-for-job scam, environmental destruction and unemployment, yet they are being branded as termites,” Kawthankar said.
He alleged that educated leaders occupying public office were living on taxpayers’ money while insulting students who were under immense stress. Kawthankar also challenged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and BJP state president Damodar Naik to a public debate on issues confronting the state.
Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao said that calling our youths “termites” is an insult to our country. “They are the future of our nation, but Sawaikar and his party are trying to suppress them when they raise questions about 152 paper leaks in the last 10 years,” he added.
GPCC president, Girish Chodankar said that the language used by the BJP is disrespectful and insulting. He alleged that the BJP believes it can win elections through the power of money.
‘Students deserve respect, not labels’: AAP condemns Sawaikar’s remarks
Panaji/Margao: Slamming former MP and BJP general secretary Narendra Sawaikar’s statement which compared protesting youth to termites, AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik said that Sawaikar and BJP are the real termites who have damaged Goa and India with their corruption and communal hatred.
Velim AAP MLA Cruz Silva condemned Sawaikar’s remarks and questioned whether the BJP would condemn the statement. In a social media post, Silva said students exercising their democratic right to protest deserve respect, not dehumanising labels.
“If young people fighting for their rights are called termites, then what should politicians who cling to power for decades out of greed while denying opportunities to the next generation be called,” he said.
Silva said students deserve respect and added that the BJP should learn to respect dissent and democracy. He said history is changed by young voices, not by those who try to silence them.
He questioned whether the Goa BJP or the party’s central leadership would condemn Sawaikar’s remarks.
The post has since gone viral, triggering an online debate. Several social media users said a true leader listens to and respects the youth. Another said students deserve a fair revaluation and respect, not name-calling.
One user stated, “Our youth are fighting for their right to education, and this is how the ruling party treats them,” while another said students raising valid concerns about their future deserve respect, not toxic insults from BJP leaders.
Meanwhile, AAP Goa Youth wing president Pujan Malvankar, vice president Neash Coutinho, North Goa president Durva Pednekar and AAP youth leaders slammed the BJP for its brutality against students protesting at Jantar Mantar, alleging that peaceful protesters were beaten until they bled, dragged, and subjected to tear gas for raising genuine concerns over repeated paper leaks and the failure of the education system.
Malvankar also called out Sawaikar’s ‘termite’ remark as shameful and deeply insulting to the youth of the country.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Churchill Alemao, reacting to the social media post by Sawaikar, said it could be a slip of the tongue. “I don’t know what he exactly said. May be slip of the tongue or a mistake,” he said.
Police stop Congress march to Lok Bhavan over Rahul Gandhi detention
Panaji: A Congress protest march to Lok Bhavan on Tuesday night over the detention of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the alleged crackdown on student protesters in New Delhi was stopped by police after barricades were erected around 100m from the Governor’s residence.
The Congress had sought permission for a five-member delegation to meet Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju. Executive magistrate Dattaprasad Toraskar informed the protesters that an appointment had been scheduled for 10 am on Wednesday.
Addressing party workers, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar said, “Peaceful student protesters were lathi-charged, false FIRs were registered against them and many were
arrested. Rahul Gandhi protested against this outside the Prime Minister’s residence and he, too, was detained along with several Opposition leaders,” Chodankar said.
He alleged that the BJP-led government had failed to address the NEET paper leak issue, claiming that 152 students had died by suicide and nearly nine crore students had been affected by repeated examination irregularities. “Our demand is to quash the FIRs against the student protestors,” he said.
Chodankar said the Congress had repeatedly demanded a discussion in Parliament and sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, but was denied the opportunity to debate the issue.
‘Termites, cockroaches will answer BJP in 2027’
Margao: Goa Forward Party’s (GFP) student wing president Vrushank Gaonkar criticised Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Narendra Sawaikar for referring to students as termites and said the youth would respond to the BJP in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections.
“Termites and cockroaches would show the BJP in the 2027 elections,” he said, adding that such a statement was least
expected from Sawaikar as he had also been part of the student movement in the past.
Condemning Sawaikar for ridiculing the student community, Gaonkar said the youth had the potential to point out what was wrong in society and would continue to highlight the injustice being done by the government to students in the country.
He further said Sawaikar would not succeed in demotivating students.
“The students across the country will not keep quiet. They will protest the anti-student policies,” he said.
