Goa CM threatens police action against netas who slam cops

PANAJI: In a direct threat to the political parties taking to the social media to unnecessarily criticise the government, especially police, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Friday told the police department to “show them their place”.
“I have seen political parties criticising police. What do they think of themselves? I think police should show them their place,” Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, said after inaugurating Colvale police station.
“I don’t mind if a politician is criticised. As a chief minister, if people abuse me, it doesn’t matter. I will continue to do my work, but at least don’t criticise my department,” Sawant said.
“Doctors have done a good job in the pandemic. They should be appreciated. Police department is doing a good job, appreciate them,” he said.
For the past couple of days, the opposition has been relentlessly attacking the government over “the law and order situation” in the state and demanded Sawant’s resignation as the chief minister.
Sawant’s threat to politicians comes a day after he came down heavily on the opposition for “damaging the state’s image” and taking to the social media to point out his government’s failure on a host of issues, including the mismanagement of the Covid situation that saw the government getting a rap from the Bombay high court for deaths due to shortage of oxygen supply.
It also comes nearly six months before the assembly elections with a clear signal going out to the opposition that the government will not tolerate any criticism of its departments.
After inaugurating the Colvale police station, Sawant said that people in the area are involved in “illegal matka” and are “acting smart”. “They are unnecessarily commenting, and it has to stop. The crime rate has to come down,” he said.
Sawant claimed that North Goa SP Shobhit Saxena “knows everything” about such crimes, and that Goa police would act against them. “Those involved in crime should immediately stop, else we will act against them.”
He also told police to “give justice to the people and act against criminals”.
Sawant also advised the opposition not to damage the state’s image. “The state belongs to all of us. In the name of politics, we should not spoil the name of our state and tarnish our image in the country,” Sawant said.
Sawant also congratulated Goa police for doing a good job. He said Goa police would soon fill 940 vacancies and 150 PSI posts. He also said that 250 more posts would be advertised for Goa police, and home guard posts would also be filled.