Bicholim | July 2, 2025 — Goa Forward Party (GFP) President and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government, accusing it of ignoring the plight of ordinary citizens, particularly farmers, in the talukas of Bicholim and Sattari. Sardesai was addressing the media after interacting with locals during a Janta Darbar organised by the GFP for residents of these regions.
Sardesai noted that the event revealed a disturbing pattern of state neglect. “Ordinary people, especially farmers, are being made to suffer without any help or relief from the government. This is our observation after hearing the grievances of people from Bicholim and Sattari today,” he said.
He specifically flagged the unresolved issue of alwara land in Bicholim and Satari, and evacuee property in Mayem, alleging that the state government has failed to offer a fair resolution. “People are being forced to run from pillar to post, go to court, even the High Court, to claim what is rightfully theirs. This is nothing short of harassment of poor communities,” he said.
The GFP chief also took strong objection to the government’s land policies, particularly the allocation of land for large-scale projects like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Sattari. “The government is giving away land to big projects like the IIT which offer little to no benefit for locals. In fact, such projects negatively impact the social fabric, agriculture, and even religious heritage such as temples,” Sardesai asserted.
Calling attention to the irony of governance in the region, Sardesai remarked, “These two talukas are represented by the topmost ministers in the state — the Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant and the TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane. If this is the condition under the No. 1 and No. 2 ministers, then something is seriously wrong. How can people here still be suffering with so many unresolved issues?”
He suggested that the governance style in Bicholim and Sattari appeared to resemble authoritarian rule, where public dissent and legitimate grievances are ignored. “There seems to be an attempt to bulldoze over people’s rights rather than address them. We need to ask what the people are thinking — are they ready for change?”
Sardesai pledged to raise all the concerns of Bicholim and Sattari residents in the upcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly. “We have done this in the past and seen positive outcomes. People appreciate when their voice is represented. We will continue to fight for them,” he said.
The Janta Darbar in Bicholim is part of the GFP’s ongoing outreach across Goa under the Amcho Awaz Vijai campaign aimed at directly engaging with citizens to understand and act upon grassroots-level issues.
