On 4th Oct 2025 AAP’s volunteer strength is growing in Goa; crowd that gathered in today’s meeting has made it clear that change is coming to Goa: Arvind Kejriwal*
Today Goa is unsafe & Goenkars live in fear — but enough is enough, AAP will end this fear & fight injustices being done to people of Goa: Arvind Kejriwal*
*I salute all our workers in Goa because they are bravely standing up against the BJP’s Gundaraj: Arvind Kejriwal*
*AAP has come into politics to serve, volunteers should aim to get blessings from people by serving at our mohalla clinics across Goa: Arvind Kejriwal*
*All our religious books preach that serving people earns same merit as worshiping God: Arvind Kejriwal*
*BJP have done nothing for people of Goa in last 13 years; BJP given goondagardi, gang wars, and deaths only: Atishi*
*People of Goa want change & seek to remove BJP; today, they recognize AAP’s work, loyalty, and credibility, and see in it ray of hope — beginning of real change: Atishi*
*Today AAP is growing, and no one can stop us; both ruling party & opposition are rattled by AAP’s rise: Amit Palekar*
*CM Pramod Sawant says Bhivpachi Garaj Na; because even if BJP wins only five seats in elections, he will bring in Congress MLAs to form the Govt: Venzy Viegas*
*With just 1.5 years left, every volunteer is determined to form govt in 2027: Cruz Silva*
NEW DELHI / GOA:
In a fiery address to AAP volunteers in Goa on Saturday, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal declared that “every AAP volunteer is working to fix the problems in Goa,” vowing to end the fear and injustice that have gripped the state under BJP’s rule. Calling out the “gundaraj” that has plagued Goa for 13 years, the AAP Chief lauded AAP volunteers for their courage and commitment to public service — from opening mohalla clinics to restoring faith in honest politics. During this, former Delhi CM and AAP Goa in-charge Atishi, AAP Goa President Amit Palekar, MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, senior leaders of Goa, and volunteers were also present.
Addressing volunteers in South Goa, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, “I see the hall is completely packed, and as many people are inside, there are just as many standing outside. We came here in 2017, again in 2022 for the elections, and for several volunteer meetings. Today, only half of Goa’s volunteers — those from South Goa — are here. In 2017 and 2022, even when the entire Goa team gathered, there weren’t as many volunteers as we have from just half of Goa today in this hall. I think something divine is taking place, isn’t it?”
Congratulating the volunteers, Arvind Kejriwal said, “I want to salute you. Today, Goa’s politics has become extremely dirty and violent. There is goondaism all across Goa. A common man is afraid to raise his voice, afraid to criticise the BJP, afraid to make any demand from the government. If there’s no water in someone’s home and they say it, they are threatened. If the road in front of their house is broken and they demand it to be repaired, they are threatened. Today, goondaism is rampant in Goa.”
Referring to AAP’s campaign for road repairs, he continued, “All roads in Goa were badly damaged. We launched a campaign to repair Goa’s roads. Aam Aadmi Party volunteers went door to door, collecting signatures from people. Was that wrong? It was the right thing to do. But when our volunteers went door to door in Madgaon for the campaign, BJP’s goons came and threatened them, stopping them from collecting signatures.”
Applauding the volunteers’ courage, the AAP chief added, “I congratulate and salute you because you did not get scared. You did not stop. You faced their threats bravely. The very next day, the entire Aam Aadmi Party went there with full strength, collecting signatures from all houses. That’s why I salute you today. We must not be afraid of these goons.”
He added that recently, there was a deadly attack on a prominent activist, Rama Kankonkar. The government still hasn’t figured out why he was attacked. But it is being said that since he spoke against the government and its unjust policies, he was attacked. And this was not the first such incident — several attacks have taken place earlier too. Today, our women are not safe. After that attack, Aam Aadmi Party leaders like Venzy Viegas and Amit Palekar protested strongly. They organised ‘mashaal marches’ in every market and told the BJP — stop us if you can.
Calling for unity against fear, Arvind Kejriwal asserted, “There are 20 lakh people in Goa. And how many goons do they have? 100, 200, 300, 500, maybe 1000 — not more than that. Let all 20 lakh people come together and face them. The whole of Goa will stand united against them. Today, every person in Goa is living in fear. If you see any frightened Goan, stand by them. Remove their fear. Support them. The Aam Aadmi Party will stand by them. Every AAP worker will support every Goan.”
Sharing a story to inspire courage, he said, “Siddhartha Gautama was a prince. When he was a child, one day a bird fell in front of him after being hit by an arrow. He picked it up, applied medicine, and tried to save it. Just then, his cousin came running and said, ‘I shot the bird, so it’s mine.’ Siddhartha said, ‘I saved the bird, so it’s mine.’ They both went to the king for justice. The king said, ‘The bird will go to the one it chooses.’ The bird slowly walked towards Siddhartha. The one who saves from cruelty is greater than the one who inflicts it.”
Drawing a parallel with today’s politics, Arvind Kejriwal juxtaposed, “That cousin is the BJP, which is spreading goondaism. Siddhartha Gautama represents you — the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers who have to protect the people of Goa. And the bird represents the people of Goa who are being subjected to the BJP’s goondaism. If you stand with the people and protect them, they will naturally come to you. You won’t have to do anything extra.”
Speaking about AAP’s community initiatives, the AAP Supremo continued, “AAP volunteers are opening Mohalla Clinics in different places. These clinics give us an opportunity to serve. Why did we come into politics? Not just to contest elections or come to power. Out of all the people sitting here, 90% had nothing to do with BJP or Congress. You are all common people. We are common people too. 90% of AAP’s leaders come from ordinary backgrounds. Neither my father nor my mother was a politician. None of my elders were politicians. We are ordinary citizens of this country who entered politics to serve.”
Highlighting the value of service, he added, “These Mohalla Clinics opening across your areas give you a chance to serve, a great opportunity to earn blessings. When you take a sick person to these clinics and help them get treated, they bless you. When you visit them in the evening and ask how they’re doing, whether the doctor treated them well, they bless you again. It’s written in every religion.”
Recounting his personal journey of service, Arvind Kejriwal said, “After completing my Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, I worked for three years at Tata Steel. Then one day, I resigned from my job and went to work with Mother Teresa. She had an ashram in Kalighat, Kolkata, where very poor and sick people lived — some without hands, some without legs. We used to bring them in from the streets, nurse them, give them medicines, wash their clothes, and clean for them. We served them. And often, I had the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa herself.”
Recalling the words of Mother Teresa, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “When Mother Teresa was once asked a question, she gave a beautiful answer. She said that when she serves another human being, she sees God within that person. By serving a human being, she is worshipping God. This is exactly what is written in the Bible. The Bible says that if you want to worship God, serve human beings. When you visit the home of a sick person and help them, you are worshipping God.”
Reflecting on the Bhagavad Gita, he added that I have read the Gita extensively. Last year, when I was in jail for a year, I read the Gita five or six times — from start to finish. The Gita conveys one fundamental message — the message of selfless service, or Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga means serving without selfish motives. Every religion, every holy book teaches the same — the importance of service. Today, these Mohalla Clinics are giving you an opportunity to serve, to earn virtue, and to help others. Such an opportunity can only be found in the Aam Aadmi Party. Serve people wholeheartedly, earn virtue through your service, and remember — when you work for the Aam Aadmi Party, you are not just working for the party, you are working for the people of Goa, for its betterment.”
Pointing to the entrenched political elite, Arvind Kejriwal stated, “For the last 60 years, a handful of families have captured Goa. There are roughly 13 or 14 political families that have a vice-like grip on Goan politics. Whether one party comes or another, it is only these families that rule. Earlier their grandfathers contested elections, then their fathers, now they themselves contest, and then their sons, wives, or brothers enter politics. Are the people of Goa not worthy? There are 20 lakh people in Goa — does only this small group have the right to contest elections? Don’t you have the right? Why can’t your children, wives, or brothers contest? Why don’t you get tickets?”
Asserting that traditional parties will never empower ordinary citizens, the AAP chief asserted, “The Congress will never give you a ticket. The BJP will never give you a ticket. Only the Aam Aadmi Party can give a ticket to people like Vienzy Vegas and Cruz Silva — those whose fathers, brothers, or grandfathers were not politicians.”
Lambasting the political monopoly, he said, “These families have captured all the resources of Goa. All the businesses are theirs — mining, illegal construction, and every government contract goes to them. Whether in the BJP or the Congress, in ruling or opposition, all contracts go to the same people. They own the land, they hold all the tenders, everything belongs to them. I want to ask you today — who should control the Government of Goa? The people of Goa or these families? Goa’s resources should be used for the people — for your children’s schools, your family’s hospitals, for roads, electricity, and water. But these few families have looted everything. They have no concern for you, only for their profits.”
Calling for systemic change, Arvind Kejriwal emphasised, “The 2027 elections will be critical. This election will not just be about changing political parties. For decades, it has been Congress one time, BJP the next. This election will be about changing the entire system. The BJP and Congress are two sides of the same coin. Some families are on one side, some on the other. They run joint businesses together. They keep fooling us. They say, this time BJP lost — but in truth, nobody loses, because the system remains the same. This time, we must change that system. So when you work for the Aam Aadmi Party, be very clear — you are not working for a party, you are working for Goa. You are working to change Goa’s system.”
Sharing an incident from his recent travels, he added, “When I was coming to Goa from Delhi, a Goan man was sitting beside me on the flight. We began talking about politics. He said, ‘BJP and Congress are all the same. Congress is in BJP’s pocket.’ I asked him how. He said, ‘The Congress president is in the Chief Minister’s pocket.’ I asked, ‘How can you say that?’ He replied, ‘The Congress president’s name is Amit Patkar, and he has a mining business. Mining cannot run without the Chief Minister’s blessings. A mining licence cannot be granted or renewed without the Chief Minister’s approval. So they are together — he’s in his pocket.’ I don’t know if this is true, but when I asked some Goans, they said, ‘There’s some truth to it.’ This is how the whole system is entangled. Everyone is hand in glove. It’s this system we must change now.”
Outlining his vision of citizen service, he stated, “We have many tasks ahead. Along with Mohalla Clinics, new offices are also being set up. In these offices, we will serve the poor. If someone needs an income certificate, Aadhaar card, ration card, or voter ID — we will help them. Many poor people don’t know where to go, are asked for bribes, or don’t know how to fill forms. You will sit in these offices and help them. Many people will come with problems — no water, no electricity, bad roads. You must work with them to resolve their issues. Through Mohalla Clinics and offices, we must serve people selflessly.”
Emphasising grassroots communication, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Form neighbourhood groups, make WhatsApp groups, and share everything I have said today. Spread this message to everyone. Share all posts from Aam Aadmi Party leaders on social media — retweet, share, like. I have full faith that something divine is happening. God is with us. Goa will surely change. Together, we will bring that change.”
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and Goa In-charge Atishi stated, “The BJP have done nothing for the people of Goa in the last 13 years. What has the BJP given to Goa? They have given goondaism, gang wars, and deaths due to drugs in well-known institutions like BITS Pilani. The BJP government has given this to Goa. Today, the youth of Goa are unemployed, and yet the Chief Minister feels no shame. Instead, he blames the youth, saying they do not want to work. The reality is that the youth of Goa are hardworking and want to build a better future for their families and their state. It is the BJP government that has failed them.”
Sharing her personal experience from earlier in the day, Atishi said, “This morning, we went to inaugurate an AAP office. The journey usually takes about 40 to 45 minutes, but it took us an hour and a half because the roads were so bad. The shorter routes were filled with potholes, and we simply couldn’t take them. This is the truth of the Goan government’s condition.”
Highlighting the deteriorating state of governance, she continued, “In these 13 years, Goa has received unemployment, gang wars, goondaism, rising electricity bills, and corruption. Ask any Goan today, and they’ll tell you that every government office has a fixed rate for every task. If you pay, your work gets done; if you don’t, nothing moves. This is the reality of Goa. And if anyone dares to raise their voice against the BJP government, their MLAs threaten and intimidate them, saying — ‘If you speak against us, you’ll face consequences.’”
Referring to AAP’s campaign against the government, Atishi added, “When we launched a campaign and signature drive asking CM Pramod Sawant to fix the roads, our volunteers went door-to-door. People told us that our demand was right, but they couldn’t sign because their MLA would threaten them if their names came out. Why do they have to scare and threaten citizens? Because even after taking their votes for 13 years, they have done no work for the people.”
Pointing to the collusion between the BJP and the Congress, she further said, “And this is not just the BJP. Their government runs with the support of the Congress. Whenever the BJP falls short of MLAs, the Congress acts as a reserve bank, depositing its MLAs into the BJP. When people vote against the BJP and elect Congress candidates, those very MLAs end up sitting in the BJP government. Not once or twice, but repeatedly the Congress has betrayed the people of Goa.”
Expressing pride in AAP’s integrity, Atishi asserted, “I am proud that if there are any MLAs who have not moved an inch since being elected, they are from the Aam Aadmi Party — Captain Venzy Viegas and Engineer Cruz Silva. When the 2022 results were announced, senior journalists and political commentators told us that our two MLAs wouldn’t last, saying, ‘This is Goa — they’ll soon jump to the BJP.’ But I told them then that the AAP MLAs are not old-style politicians. They are volunteers who entered politics through service. They were with AAP then, they are with AAP now, and they will remain with AAP.”
Speaking about the changing political mood in Goa, she added, “Today, people of Goa see their work, loyalty, and credibility. They see in Aam Aadmi Party a ray of hope — a beginning of change. And you, all our volunteers, are seen by the people of your wards, panchayats, municipalities, and localities as symbols of courage. They may be afraid to speak out, but you are stepping out fearlessly, unafraid of the BJP.”
Calling upon volunteers to prepare for the upcoming elections, Atishi said, “Now is the time for everyone to tighten their belts and tie their shoelaces. The 2027 elections are approaching. The people of Goa want change. They want to remove the BJP. And it is the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers who must lead this path of change — carrying the torch forward and forming a government of the common people in Goa in 2027 — a government that truly works for them.”
AAP Goa President Amit Palekar said, “Today AAP is growing, and no one can stop us. Both the ruling party and the opposition are rattled by AAP’s rise. Every volunteer of the Aam Aadmi Party must now reach every door, every household in Goa, and ensure our victory in the 2027 Assembly elections.”
The AAP MLA from Benaulim, Venzy Viegas, said, “Today, our volunteers are proud of us because both of us were elected on AAP’s tickets and still are with the AAP. The Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, continues to act out of fear; even if five MLAs leave, he attempts to bring in Congress MLAs to maintain his numbers. AAP is a party built by its volunteers. Henzel, who was once a simple carpenter, today stands as a leader on the stage with us.”
The AAP MLA from Velim, Cruz Silva, said, “The volunteers gathered here today helped us win 2 seats in the 2022 elections. With just 1.5 years left, we are determined to form the government in 2027. These same volunteers, with the same grit and energy, will continue to work tirelessly to achieve this goal.”