Brutal assault on adivasi youth leader an alarming example of lawlessness in Goa: NAPM

By A Representative 

The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has issued a strong condemnation of the "heinous assault" on adivasi youth leader Rama Kankonkar on September 18 and the subsequent intimidation faced by another activist, Swapnesh Sherlekar, citing these incidents as alarming examples of lawlessness in Goa. NAPM is demanding a principled investigation to establish "command responsibility" for the attack and a fundamental review of what it terms Goa’s "unsustainable and unjust 'development' model" driven by land mafias and casino interests.

The assault on Rama Kankonkar, which occurred near the Children’s Park in Caranzalem, Goa, was described as physically brutal and symbolically degrading. Six assailants, armed with weapons, attacked Mr. Kankonkar, smeared his face with cow dung, and video-graphed the entire incident. NAPM characterized the act as a "chilling message" that dissent and struggles for justice would be met with public humiliation and violence, marking a dangerous escalation in targeting activists. At least three of the attackers are reportedly linked to a previous assault in North Goa targeting an individual who raised concerns over land rights, suggesting a deliberate strategy of intimidation against those challenging powerful vested interests.

NAPM highlighted Rama Kankonkar's dedication to people's movements, noting his vocal participation in campaigns against the CAA-NPR-NRC, the double-tracking of railways, and the extensive appropriation of land for corporate projects that threaten the environment and displace communities. As a member of Goa's Scheduled Tribe communities, he has also been prominent in the struggle for legislative reservation and adivasi rights. The Alliance also acknowledged the critical work of Swapnesh Sherlekar and his team in exposing "malplanning and misgovernance" and advocating for public participation in planning processes.

Civil society and political voices in Goa have mobilized over the past ten days, organizing public meetings, vigils, and protests to demand accountability and the arrest of the attack’s alleged masterminds. While eight accused have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody, activists in Goa insist that those with actual political clout, allegedly affiliated with the ruling BJP in the state, who orchestrated the attack, are yet to be apprehended. Activists are continuing the work that Mr. Kankonkar championed, which NAPM views as both a tribute and a continuation of the resistance against destructive mega projects and for land, environmental, and identity rights.

Standing in "unwavering solidarity" with Mr. Kankonkar, Mr. Sherlekar, and the people of Goa, NAPM called upon the Government to pursue the case to finality, including under the SC & ST (PoA) Act, 1989. The organization also demanded that authorities ensure protection for the activists, extend full medical care, and provide "exemplary compensation" to Rama Kankonkar. The Alliance fully endorses the growing consensus that the current Goan development model, fueled by land, mining mafias, and casino interests, is "unsustainable, unjust and unsafe," and called for a radical reimagining of the laws and policies that enable this predatory development.