On November 23, 2024, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Amit Patkar, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, and several Congress workers were detained during a protest at Azad Maidan, Panaji. The demonstration was organized to demand a judicial probe into the alleged “cash-for-jobs” scam under the BJP-led government.

The protest aimed to march toward Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s residence at Altinho but was intercepted by police. A total of 23 leaders and workers were detained. Notably, Congress MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, Altone D’Costa, and Carlos Alvares Ferreira, did not attend the protest, raising questions about the party’s internal unity.

After a day of detention, Amit Patkar tweeted about his release on a personal bond with restrictions banning protests in Panaji for six months. Patkar described the restrictions as an attempt to suppress dissent and declared that the Congress party would continue to oppose such unconstitutional actions. In his tweet, he also thanked party workers for their unwavering support and emphasized that democracy would prevail over authoritarian tactics.

The Congress party has reiterated its demand for a judicial inquiry into the job scam allegations and has called for a white paper on government vacancies to ensure transparency. Despite the detentions, the protest drew significant attention to the issue, amplifying demands for accountability from the government.