‘Govt must stop dirty, partisan politics’

Porvorim: The Pramod Sawant-led govt needs to put a stop to the “dirty and partisan politics” that uses govt agencies to create a “climate of fear” for activists, liberal thinkers and dissenters, said opposition leader Yuri Alemao on Tuesday.

Alemao said in the assembly that dissent against govt’s policies is labelled as anti-national, even though the Constitution safeguards the right of free speech. “If you look in Goa, whether it is activists or NGOs, if individuals speak against the flawed policies of govt they are silenced or imprisoned, creating a climate of fear,” he said.

He was replying to the governor’s address. “Today Goa is dominated by right-wing forces with no respect for Goa’s diversity. Goa’s social environment is getting polluted with dirty colours of communalism,” said Alemao. He urged the govt to protect communal harmony instead of promoting religious incitement.