'Goa Being Sold to Builders': Kejriwal Backs Carapur-Shravan Land Protest

Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa of favouring builders over villagers while visiting a land and environment protest in Carapur-Shravan village on 1 June 2026. They alleged that major housing projects and land use changes are damaging farmland, groundwater and the wider local ecology.

The protest in Carapur-Shravan focuses on a large housing proposal spread over 5.5 lakh square metres. According to Arvind Kejriwal, the project plans more than 2,000 housing units. Aam Aadmi Party leaders said the scheme threatens cashew plantations, groundwater recharge areas and the traditional rural economy that depends on these natural resources.

Arvind Kejriwal Goa land protest highlights housing project and builder gains

Arvind Kejriwal stated that powerful political figures and builder groups stand to gain financially from the disputed land and the housing project. Aam Aadmi Party leaders claimed that local residents are losing land and environmental security, while benefits are concentrated among a small set of influential interests. They said villagers are bearing the social and ecological costs.

Explaining the reason for travelling from Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal said the visit was meant as direct support for the villagers’ agitation. Arvind Kejriwal described Goa as one of India’s most beautiful regions. Arvind Kejriwal argued that development plans are instead eroding natural resources and agricultural land under the pretext of growth.

Arvind Kejriwal Goa land protest targets Section 39A approvals

Arvind Kejriwal alleged a serious conflict of interest in the permissions granted under Section 39A for land use change and housing projects. The leaders demanded an impartial investigation into all approvals given using this provision. Aam Aadmi Party also announced that several projects sanctioned in this manner should be cancelled after such scrutiny.

Arvind Kejriwal declared that, if an Aam Aadmi Party government is formed in Goa, the Carapur-Shravan housing project would be revoked within one month. Arvind Kejriwal further announced that Section 39A would be removed and all permissions issued under it cancelled. Future development, Arvind Kejriwal said, would require formal consent from gram sabhas and local communities.

Arvind Kejriwal Goa land protest backed by Atishi’s charges on farmland deals

Atishi described Goa’s natural beauty as a national heritage that is being damaged for private gain. Atishi alleged that agricultural land is first bought cheaply, then its use is altered through legal processes and turned into large projects. Atishi claimed that many influential individuals and builders are involved and that such practices are happening across Goa, not just in Carapur.

Both leaders accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of working for builders and colonisers instead of protecting villagers. They said rural residents are being separated from their land, and environmental harm is increasing, while financial gains go to a limited group. The Carapur-Shravan agitation, they argued, reflects broader concerns about land, law and development in Goa.