Congress Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira on Monday criticised the state government over the imposition of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (BNS) Act to prohibit public gatherings at Azad Maidan in Panaji.
The order, issued by the North Goa Collector, comes ahead of a planned protest by villagers from Mirabag.
Ferreira alleged that the move amounts to suppression of public dissent and infringement of citizens’ rights. He claimed that the Collector was pressured into issuing the order.
“I feel the North Goa Collector was unwilling to issue the order and was pressurised to do so last night,” he said.
He further accused governments led by the BJP of not tolerating criticism, stating that such actions reflect an unwillingness to hear opposing voices.
The MLA said the justification cited for the restriction — the Ponda bypoll — was not valid, noting that Ponda is geographically distant from Panaji and unlikely to be affected by the protest.
“The government is supposed to be of the people, for the people and by the people. But the government is trampling upon the rights of the people,” Ferreira said.
He also questioned the timing of the order, stating that issuing it at the last moment may have prevented affected groups from seeking legal recourse.
Describing the development as “a sad day for Goa”, Ferreira alleged that the government was attempting to silence citizens raising issues related to their rights and survival.
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