Arvind Kejriwal flags off truck carrying over 1 lakh signed letters addressed to CM Pramod Sawant under AAP’s ‘BJP Che Burak’ campaign

New Delhi/Goa: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday flagged off a truck in Panjim carrying over one lakh signed letters addressed to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant under the ‘BJP Che Burak’ campaign, marking a massive public outcry against the state’s crumbling roads. After the flag-off, AAP leaders drove the truck to the Goa Assembly and later submitted the one lakh ‘BJP Che Burak’ signature letters at the Secretariat, demanding that the BJP government immediately repair Goa’s broken and potholed roads.

During this, AAP Goa In-charge Atishi, Goa President Amit Palekar, MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, Goa State General Secretary Organisation Shrikrishna Parab, National Spokesperson Valmiki Naik, Goa State Vice Presidents Chetak Kamat and Sunil Signapurkar, Goa President (Youth Wing) Rohan Naik, Goa State Vice-President (Youth Wing) Salman Khan, senior state leaders Pujan Malvankar, John Fernandes, Sarfaraz Ankalgi, many leaders volunteers were also present.

After flagging off a truck with 1 lakh letters of ‘BJP Che Burak’ campaign, AAP National Convenor Kejriwal said, “We all know that the condition of Goa’s roads is terrible. Whenever I meet people from Goa, they would tell me that the roads are in a very bad condition. For the past three days, I have been in Goa myself. One day, I travelled from Santa Cruz to Mapusa. The roads were so bad—so terrible—that it seemed there were no potholes in the roads, but rather roads in the potholes.”

The AAP Supremo continued, “Another day, I travelled from Santa Cruz to Mayem. Instead of taking us on the actual route, they took a detour that took one and a half hours, just so that we could not see the real condition of the roads. When we returned by the original route, we saw how bad the roads really were. Across Goa, the situation is the same.”

Arvind Kejriwal said the situation was so dire that citizens were being intimidated for demanding basic repairs. “If any Goan citizen demands that their road be repaired, the ruling party’s people threaten them, scare them, beat them up. People are not even allowed to demand their rights,” he said.

The AAP chief said that in response, the AAP had launched a state-wide campaign against the BJP government, raising the voice of every Goan demanding safe, motorable roads. “This campaign was not just AAP’s, it was the demand of the people of Goa. It was their voice, their need. They want proper roads. Every day, accidents are taking place because of these potholes. Even the Chief Minister himself admitted in the Assembly that numerous accidents are happening due to these potholes,” Arvind Kejriwal said.

He added that the state of the roads was tarnishing India’s reputation internationally. “Goa is the pride of our nation. It’s not only Goans who suffer. Every foreign tourist who comes to India visits Delhi, then Agra for the Taj Mahal, and then Goa. No tourist goes back without visiting Goa. When they come here and see such terrible roads, imagine what they think of our country. What happens to our nation’s image?”

Arvind Kejriwal noted that AAP volunteers had gone door-to-door across Goa to gather signatures from citizens supporting the campaign, despite facing intimidation from BJP cadres. “Our volunteers went house to house, collecting signatures. They were threatened, they were scared, but Aam Aadmi Party volunteers are not the kind who fear anyone. There are roughly 3.5 lakh total families living in Goa. Out of that, 1 lakh families have signed these letters. Roughly one-third of Goa has signed. What could be a bigger mandate or demand than this?”

He said, “Today, AAP leaders—Amit Palekar, Shri Krishan Parab Ji, and others—will go and submit these letters to the Chief Minister.”

Raising serious questions about corruption in road construction, Arvind Kejriwal remarked, “There is massive corruption in the construction of roads in Goa. Every year, thousands of crores of rupees are spent on road construction. Where does that money go? People have the right to ask—where does it all go? Roads are built, and within three months, they break again.”

Concluding his address, Arvind Kejriwal made a direct appeal to the Chief Minister. “I demand that the Chief Minister listen to the voice of the people of Goa. Build the roads of Goa. Build them honestly. Build them properly, so that people can live a civilized life,” he said.

After flagging off a truck with 1 lakh letters of BJP Che Burak campaign, AAP National Convenor took to 'X’ and wrote: “Goans have been suffering due to the terrible condition of roads under the BJP government. AAP launched a signature campaign to demand immediate repairs and the response was overwhelming. Out of 3.5 lakh families in Goa, 1 lakh families signed the petition.”

“Today, we flagged-off the truck carrying these signed letters addressed to the CM. This is not just a protest, it is the collective voice of Goans demanding accountability and action. We hope the CM finally listens,” he stated.

Earlier, the AAP Chief wrote on X: “Goan roads are in very bad shape. I have personally experienced in the last three days that I have been in Goa. Despite repeated appeals, Goa’s BJP government has done nothing. Corruption is so high that even where roads are done, they come off within a few days.”

“AAP ran a signature campaign in Goa to demand repair of roads. Out of a total 3.5 lakh families in Goa, 1 lakh families signed the petition. Today, led by AAP Goa President Amit Palekar, these letters will be delivered to CM Goa. Goa hopes that the CM heeds to the plea of Goans,” the post concluded.

Meanwhile, AAP Goa State President Amit Palekar said, “For the past four Diwalis and four Chaturthis, the Chief Minister has been saying that the roads will be repaired. Today again, he gave us a similar assurance. But we are not going to be fooled by such promises — we will soon follow up with the government to ensure that the roads are actually repaired.”

The AAP MLA from Benaulim, Venzy Viegas, said, “This government is completely non-serious about the people of Goa. Several people have lost their lives, and many others have suffered broken hands and legs because of the pathetic condition of the roads. Just a few days ago, an ambulance overturned due to the poor road condition in Porvorim. Imagine the state of Goa, where even an ambulance cannot travel safely. The roads are in such terrible shape that people’s lives are constantly at risk. We demand that the Chief Minister take this issue seriously and get the roads repaired at the earliest.”

The AAP MLA from Velim, Cruz Silva, said, “The Chief Minister, along with the newly elected PWD Minister, had promised that the roads would be repaired within 24 hours after Chaturthi. They have repeated this assurance at multiple locations, but their performance has fallen flat. Today again, they gave us the same assurance — but we neither believe nor trust it anymore. The people of Goa, too, have lost faith in this government. They no longer know whether the government will work for the people of Goa or for its masters who are destroying the state.”

AAP Goa General Secretary Organisation Shrikrishna Parab said, “The people of Goa are fed up with the condition of the roads. Today, we are submitting one lakh letters — this is just the beginning of our follow-up with the government to ensure that every pothole in the state is repaired.”