Panaji | October 12, 2025:
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa has demanded an independent judicial probe into the brutal attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar, following his shocking statement alleging that Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte were behind the assault.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, AAP Goa President Adv. Amit Palekar said the allegations were grave and have deeply shaken public faith in the state’s law and order system.
“These are not casual claims. A sitting Chief Minister and a cabinet minister being named in such a case is unprecedented in Goa’s political history. The CM and the minister must step aside to ensure an impartial investigation,” Palekar said.
He stressed that the probe should be conducted by an independent judicial authority and not the Goa Police, which functions under the same government whose leaders have been accused.
“How can the public expect a fair investigation when those under suspicion control the very machinery responsible for conducting it?” he questioned.
Palekar warned that the incident reflects a deeper breakdown in Goa’s governance.
“This issue goes beyond one individual — it’s about the state of democracy and law in Goa. When activists fear for their lives and political figures are named in violent attacks, it clearly signals that Gundaraj has taken over Goa,” he said, adding, “The masterminds of this Gundaraj must be exposed before the people.”
AAP Goa has made two key demands:
- A judicial probe into the attack on Rama Kankonkar.
- Immediate resignation or stepping aside of CM Pramod Sawant and Minister Rohan Khaunte until the probe is completed.
Concluding his statement, Palekar said, “Justice delayed will only prove that the BJP government is shielding its own. The people of Goa deserve to know the truth.”
