Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Feb 8: Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday claimed that “urban naxalites” are active within the state and are attempting to provoke select individuals to create unrest, asserting that it is the responsibility of the police and administration to counter and neutralise such efforts.

Addressing a state-level conference convened to brief officers on the outcomes of the Directors General and Inspectors General of Police Conference 2025, Sawant—who also holds the home portfolio—dismissed claims that Goa is free of urban naxal influence.

“Who says there are no urban naxalites in Goa? They are present and working here, trying to instigate people. We cannot name them openly, but their activities are ongoing,” the chief minister said.

Emphasising accountability, Sawant told senior officials that maintaining law and order was their primary duty. “Should the chief minister act in every case? It is your responsibility to nullify such movements. This is the job entrusted to you,” he said.

Turning to tourism, the chief minister noted that certain tourism-related incidents had been reported in the state and stressed the need to prevent such occurrences. He urged government officers to recommend concrete measures and reforms to ensure the safety of visitors and protect Goa’s reputation as a tourist destination.

Sawant said the government remains deeply concerned about the safety and security of both residents and tourists. Referring to public criticism of the government, he said dissent was common but solutions must come from the administration. “People gather at Azad Maidan and criticise the government. That is their right. But it is your responsibility to identify problems and resolve them,” he said.

The chief minister asserted that he acts swiftly on issues and regularly forwards inputs to concerned departments for action. “The chief minister is blamed for everything, but departments must act on the information sent to them. Initiative should come from within the system,” he added.

He also said that matters should ideally be resolved at the district and unit levels. “When SPs and DySPs are there to handle issues, why should I intervene every time? Problems should be addressed at their level,” Sawant said, calling for better coordination among departments.

Highlighting Goa’s role as a host of several international-level events, the Chief Minister stressed that officers have a duty to enhance the state’s image nationally and globally through efficient governance and effective law enforcement.