In a repeat of his controversial remarks from 2023, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that more than 90% of crimes in the state are committed by migrants.

During Zero Hour in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Sawant said, “If we are to do crime-prevention plans… we need to create awareness. First and among the foremost things that the police department has done is verification of labourers and tenants. Nobody should rent their homes to unknown persons, without having their antecedents verified by the police.”

During the discussion on the law-and-order situation in the state, Sawant stressed that verification of tenants and labourers is an important component of the government’s strategy to prevent crime and strengthen security in the state.

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“People come here for work in large numbers and then they get involved in robberies, rapes, dacoities… If you examine the crimes committed in Goa, then more than 90% is due to migrants. I am saying it again. More than 90% [crime] is due to migrants. Which is why we are stressing on tenant and labour verification,” the CM said.

Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) MLA Viresh Borkar raised the issue in the Assembly, alleging a collapse of law and order and rising incidents of crime in the state over the last three years. Borkar flagged the recent shooting at the director of a casino and instances of drug smuggling in Colvale jail and pointed out that while Goa police’s crime detection rate is 98.92%, the conviction rate of offenders in only 5.85%. Borkar questioned why the government was not installing more CCTVs to help prevent crime.

What is the next step then, asks AAP MLA

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Venzy Viegas questioned the measures undertaken by the state to prevent crime. “You are admitting that 90% of crime is due to migrants. What is the next step then? Besides [tenant] verification, what are the steps that the government plans to take to reduce this crime… from 90% to 0%?” Viegas asked.

In a written reply to whether the government had undertaken a study or analysis of the changing crime profile in the state in the last five years, Sawant said the analysis of the profiles of arrested accused persons involved in serious offences is conducted regularly, including their place of origin, repeat-offender status and possible involvement in the inter-state or organised criminal networks.

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On action taken to monitor and curb criminal activities, Sawant said, “PCR vans, motorcycles and highway patrol vans have been deployed for intensive mobile patrolling during day and night to prevent crime. Tourist Police has been deployed on the beaches and vulnerable areas for the safety of local as well as tourists, so as to prevent crimes. Round-the-clock police patrolling is maintained at all the railway stations. Regular analysis on narcotics-related cases and intelligence inputs is conducted to identify organised drug networks, repeat offenders and interstate linkages.”

Past remarks

In 2024, the chief minister had sought to link increasing “scams” to rising migration. “(Several) incidents have been occurring in Goa. As migration in Goa has grown, the incidents are becoming frequent. Yesterday, the police cracked a case of human trafficking in which a young woman from Goa was promised a job abroad and taken there. The police were able to rescue her…,” he said at an event.

In 2023, Sawant had claimed that 90% of crimes in Goa are committed by migrant workers. “Every migrant labourer working in Goa should possess a labour card… After committing a crime here, migrant labourers return to their state, and it becomes difficult to catch them. If we see the ratio… maximum… 90% of the crimes in Goa are done by migrant labourers. Be it from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or from other areas,” he had said. He later said his speech was “twisted by some political leaders”.