Protest against land use rules: Goa MLA Viresh Borkar’s health deteriorates, hospitalised

Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) MLA Viresh Borkar, who is on an indefinite hunger strike demanding the scrapping of a provision of the Town and Country Planning Act, has been shifted to the hospital after his health deteriorated.

Opposition parties in Goa led by Mr. Borkar have been protesting at Azad Maidan in Panaji since Saturday (February 21, 2026), demanding the repeal of the Town and Country Planning Act’s Section 39A, which enables the conversion of a non-settlement zone into a settlement zone, paving the way for construction activities.

Dr. Oscar Rebello, a private doctor, checked the health parameters of Mr. Borkar on Monday night (February 23, 2026) and advised that he be shifted to the hospital.

“His parameters are dropping and he requires immediate medical attention,” Dr. Rebello told the protesters, following which Mr. Borkar was shifted to a nearby private hospital in Panaji city at night.

Earlier on Monday (February 23, 2026), hundreds of protesters marched to the private residence of the State Town and Country Planning Minister, Vishwajit Rane, in Dona Paula near Panaji. They demonstrated outside the Minister’s house for hours before shifting their protest to Azad Maidan.

Several leaders, including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, AAP MLA Venzy Viegas and Goa Congress vice-president Sunil Kawthankar, had joined the protest outside Mr. Rane’s residence.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday refused to concede to the demands, while expressing displeasure over the way the protest was held outside Minister Rane’s private residence.