Panaji:The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa on Thursday lodged a police complaint against Goa BJP leader and state NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar over his social media post allegedly referring to protesting youth as “termites”, accusing him of promoting hatred and disturbing communal harmony.
AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik, vice-president Manuel Cardoso and other party leaders submitted the complaint, seeking registration of an FIR against Sawaikar under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 197(1)(d) and 353(1)(b), besides other relevant laws.
In the complaint, the party alleged that Sawaikar’s posts on Facebook and X describing protesting youth as “termites” were intended to incite public hatred against young protesters and create social disharmony.
The AAP also objected to Sawaikar’s use of what it described as a “heavily distorted” map of India in the social media post, alleging that it amounted to an insult to the nation’s honour.
The complaint urged the police to initiate legal action against Sawaikar for the alleged offences.
The controversy stems from a social media post by Sawaikar amid nationwide protests over the alleged detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and demonstrations by student groups. Opposition parties in Goa have accused the NRI Commissioner of using derogatory language against young protesters and demanded his removal.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant defended Sawaikar, saying the NRI Commissioner’s post had no connection with terms such as “cockroach” or “termite” being attributed to protesting youth. He had said some people interpret statements according to their political views and tend to politicise every issue.
There was no immediate response from Sawaikar to the AAP’s police complaint.
