Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Fires Back at Opposition Over CJP‑Led Delhi Protest, Defends Election Commission’s Role

Goa’s chief minister, Pramod Sawant, did not hold back on Thursday when asked about the chaos that erupted in Delhi over the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest. In an interview with ANI, he suggested that several political outfits are basically hiring the nation’s youngsters as a proxy army to pounce on independent institutions like the Election Commission.

“The Election Commission is an independent institution. The whole electoral process – including the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter rolls – is carried out strictly in line with the Constitution,” Sawant said, his tone part‑matter‑of‑fact, part‑defensive. He added that SIR exercises are not new; they happen roughly every decade to clean up the rolls.

He also reminded anyone who finds their name missing that the remedy is straightforward: file a Form‑6 and the commission will reconsider the case. "Eligible voters have a constitutional right to vote," he emphasized, noting that non‑citizens, the deceased, people who have moved away, or duplicate entries are rightly excluded.

Turning his ire toward the opposition, Sawant alleged that certain parties, unable to rally support directly, are now pushing “young people associated with the CJP” to launch a campaign against the very pillars of democracy. "Since they cannot get involved themselves politically, they are using youths to attack the independent constitutional institutions of our democracy," he argued.

He also backed the central government’s decision to detain several demonstrators, calling the move necessary to keep law and order intact. “Repeatedly taking to the streets in this manner is not appropriate. Those who are truly aggrieved should take their fight to the courts,” Sawant said, adding that the protesters seemed reluctant to engage in a legal battle.

On the other side of the aisle, Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, announced a fresh round of protests for October 12, claiming that Delhi police and BJP workers had used “violence against students and women” during the previous CJP demonstration demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Gandhi, not shy about theatrical remarks, took to X on Saturday and likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “Mogambo,” the notorious villain from the classic film Mr. India. He warned that the voice of the youth would grow louder, resonating “across the nation.”

The Delhi protest itself turned into a massive security operation. Around a thousand people were detained, including AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) chief Pinarayi Vijayan and Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee. Barricades rose at the Ghazipur border, 45 metro stations shut their gates, and three CJP members were even taken from an aircraft.

In the midst of all this, Sawant’s central message was clear: the electoral machinery – from EVMs to voter rolls – remains constitutional, transparent and, above all, legally challengeable. If anyone doubts the outcome, the courts, not street slogans, are the proper arena.