log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY FEBRUARY 16, 2026 GOA Protest at Cuncolim memorial against ‘Viva Portugal’ chant Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 239 2 GOA Hill cutting row: Tivim rekindles resistance to university campus 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Stay fit and healthy without going to the gym Salcete Carnival festivities ignite Assembly poll fever POLITICIANS RAISE PITCH, REACH OUT TO ELECTORATE GUILHERME ALMEIDA THE GOAN I MARGAO Politics took the centre stage at the carnival festivities in Salcete, setting the tone for the 2027 Assembly elections. In fact, the Carnival festivities across Salcete this year were marked as much by political signalling as by colour and celebration, with leaders from both the ruling and Opposition benches seizing the moment to connect with the electorate ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. With next year’s Carnival likely to coincide with the Assembly election schedule or the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct, political players appeared keen to maximise visibility at what could be their last opportunity to publicly associate with the festivities on such a scale. Even before official King Momo read out his traditional decree at the Margao Municipal Square on Sunday, the festive spirit had already been infused with political undertones. Consider this: On Saturday, Damu: Nobody can stop anyone from dreaming Cong signals possible tie-up with GFP MARGAO: The Congress signalled a possible alliance with the Goa Forward Party for the 2027 Assembly elections during the four-day Carnival festivities organised by party chief Vijai Sardesai under the banner “We for Fatorda.” Sharing the stage in Fatorda, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar declared that the Congress and the Goa Forward Party would form the next government in 2027, a statement widely seen as a clear political message. Sardesai urged voters to oust the BJP-led government and “save Goa,” reiterating his demand for dual citizenship for Goans settled abroad. He said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to address the diaspora’s concerns, a new government would find solutions. The presence of Congress Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakre and Youth Congress president Archit Naik underscored growing coordination ahead of the 2027 polls.  >> See pg 2 King Momo and his entourage participated in a mini-float parade and celebrations at Fatorda, organised by Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai. The opening day of the Fatorda festivities saw leaders from the Congress and the Goa Forward Party sharing the stage and making a strong pitch for Opposition unity, with a clear message aimed at unseating the BJP-led government in the State. MARGAO: Delivering the sharpest political message at the Margao Carnival float parade on Sunday, BJP State president Damu Naik remarked that nobody can stop anyone from dreaming. Confident about Assembly elections in 2027, Naik asserted the BJP would independently form the next government, claiming it could win up to 30 seats.  >> See pg 2 Not to be outdone, the ruling dispensation made its presence felt in Margao on Sunday. Though Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was notably absent, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte travelled to INDIA RUNS RIOT AGAINST PAK >> pg 6 the commercial capital to flag off the official Carnival float parade at Holy Spirit Square. He was joined by Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat, BJP state president Damu Naik, BJP ally Reginaldo Lourenco, and Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuemkar — a show of strength widely seen as signalling that the ruling alliance is firmly in campaign mode. Across the Salcete coastal belt and its hinterland villages, reports poured in of politicians sponsoring and supporting local Carnival events, underscoring the high stakes. From grand float parades to village-level festivities, leaders from across the political spectrum left little to chance in their bid to remain visible and relevant. As music, dance and satire filled the streets, the subtext was unmistakable: Carnival 2026 has effectively set the stage for the Assembly battle of 2027, with both sides using Goa’s biggest cultural celebration to test alliances, consolidate support and sharpen their electoral messaging. Missing Indian student found dead in US PTI IT selloff, rupee movement, US data in focus this week IN SHORT >> B’luru tourist drowns off Morjim beach PANAJI: A 46-year-old Bengaluru tourist drowned off Morjim beach. Police identified the deceased as Kantharaj K a government hospital staffer who had visited Goa with colleagues. A strong wave swept him and three others into the sea. While the others swam ashore, Kantharaj suffocated and was declared dead at CHC Tuem. Jamaats urge peace during Ramadan PANAJI: The Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats has issued an appeal for peace and communal harmony during the holy month of Ramadan.  >> See pg 3 India's players celebrate the fall of a wicket against Pakistan in the Group A match of the T20 World Cup in Colombo on Sunday. India thumped Pakistan by 61 runs to secure their place in the Super 8s. (Report on pg 12) Centre cautions flyers against playing loud music onboard AGENCIES NEW DELHI The Centre has warned that passengers who play loud music without using earphones during a flight could face penal action if their behaviour is deemed disruptive. In response to a query against unruly passengers, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation already has provisions under the Aircraft Rules, 1937 to deal with disruptive conduct onboard aircraft. While there is no separate new law specifically targeting loud music, such behaviour can invite action if it interferes with safety or causes discomfort to crew members and fellow passengers. The minister clarified that soft background music played by airlines, such as instrumental tunes during boarding and exit, is not affected. NEW YORK A 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who went missing in the US less than a week ago has been found dead, the Indian mission here has said. Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailing from Karnataka, had been missing since Monday. In an X post, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed the recovery of his body. “The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah,” it said. Extending condolences to his loved ones, the Consulate said it “stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to the family, including coordination with local authorities and arrangements for the repatriation of mortal remains to India at the earliest.” “Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services,” it added. Utpal’s BJP-RSS ties may weaken Opposition’s pitch THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI anaji’s civic politics is bracing for a fierce contest as the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections, expected in midMarch, with Goa State Election P CCP POLLS Commissioner Menino D’Souza slated to announce dates and the scheduled on Monday morning. At the centre of the churn is Utpal Parrikar, son of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. His reluctance to sever ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological mentor, the RSS, is emerging OPPOSITION UNITY UNDER STRAIN „„Utpal not fully distancing himself from BJP & RSS creates confusion on his political stand „„Oppn efforts lose sharpness if Utpal remains ideologically linked to BJP „„Utpal fielding candidates in all 30 wards could divide votes against Babush „„Congress leaders as a critical factor that could hobble the Opposition’s charge against Revenue Minister Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate. Utpal has announced plans to field candidates in all 30 wards and insists he is ready question Utpal’s commitment to a united anti-BJP front „„While Utpal gained credibility in 2022, his solo strategy may prioritise individual positioning over coordinated opposition strength „„Fragmented Opposition could indirectly benefit Babush by preventing a consolidated challenge to align with “like-minded people.” Yet his refusal to categorically snap his political umbilical cord with the BJP has raised doubts about his positioning. In the 2022 assembly polls, Utpal contested Panaji as an Independent against Monserrate on the BJP ticket, losing narrowly but gaining credibility as a challenger. Now, the stakes are higher. Congress has seized the moment. GPCC President Amit Patkar has demanded that Utpal clarify his ideological stand. “He must outline his position against the BJP,” Patkar said, warning that ambiguity could weaken the anti-Babush front. Nonetheless, the anti-Monserrate coalition is reportedly taking shape and intense confabulations on seat-sharing and candidate selection are on. Veteran corporator Surendra Furtado, a rival of Monserrate in CCP politics, Utpal, former councillor Menino Da Cruz, Taleigao aspirant Dattaprasad Naik, and possibly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are involved in the exercise to field joint candidates across wards, >Continued on P7 9 SPORTS Clinical India eves beat Australia by 21 runs in rain-hit match 12 Blaze near track disrupts F4 racing event at Mopa Dry grass catches fire, no damage to infra THE GOAN I NETWORK PERNEM The Goa Street Race at Manohar International Airport, Mopa witnessed an unexpected disruption on Sunday after a fire broke out near the racing track, forcing officials to temporarily suspend the high-profile event. The blaze erupted around 2 pm in the vicinity of the Formula 4 (F4) Indian Championship street circuit set up at the Mopa airport premises. Thick plumes of smoke billowed across the venue, raising concerns among spectators and participants and bringing the race to a halt for several hours. According to fire officials, the incident was caused by a dry grass fire that spread rapidly due to strong winds. Personnel from the Pernem Fire Station, along with teams from the headquarters, rushed to the scene immediately upon receiving the alert. The fire was brought under control, preventing any major damage to infrastructure or race equipment. Fire officer Namdev Pawar of the Pernem Fire Station supervised the operation. Firefighters Sunil Desai, Dnyane- Three-year deal signed with RPPL for Formula 4 at Mopa: Sawant PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL) has entered into a threeyear agreement with the Goa government and GMR Group to organise Formula 4 events in the State. The infrastructure developed at Mopa for the event will remain in place for the next three years, ensuring continuity and enabling future editions to be conducted without the need for fresh groundwork each time. Outlining the broader vision behind hosting Formula 4, Sawant said such initiatives are crucial to building global confidence in Goa’s capacity to host high-profile international competitions. He emphasised that the creation of world-class infrastructure and a conducive sporting environment are essential steps if the State aspires to host Formula One in the future. He further stated that RPPL is at liberty to bring additional car racing events to Goa on its own initiative, opening avenues for more national and international motorsport competitions in the state. shwar Sawant, Fatu Naik and Vitthal Parab, along with personnel from Mapusa and Pilerne fire stations, worked to douse the flames. Authorities confirmed that there was no significant impact on the event and no damage to other materials was reported. The incident follows a dramatic Saturday, where three Formula 4 drivers had a narrow escape after being involved in separate on-track mishaps. The affected race cars were promptly removed by the rescue team using a crane, ensuring the safety of the drivers and allowing the event to proceed. RBI fixes Goa’s WMA limit at `258 crore for this fiscal LIMIT FIXED TO MANAGE MISMATCHES BETWEEN RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has fixed Goa’s Ways and Means Advance (WMA) limit at Rs 258 crore for the current financial year, enabling the State to manage temporary mismatches between receipts and expenditure. Ways and Means Advances are short-term liquidity facilities extended by the RBI to State Governments and Union Territories to help them tide over cash flow imbalances without immediately resorting to market borrowings. The RBI, had in June, 2024, last revised the WMA limit for States and UTs to Rs 60,118 „„WMA helps States „„WMA along with Spemanage tempocial Drawing Facility rary cash flow and Overdraft mismatches forms key part RBI’S „„In June 2024, MOVE: KEY of States’ cash management RBI revised TAKEAWAYS tools overall WMA limit for States/ „„Revised limits UTs to Rs 60,118 cr aim to provide greater fiscal flexibility „„After fixing Rs 890 cr and smoother short-term WMA for GNCTD, total WMA cash management for ceiling increased to Rs states, including Goa 61,008 cr crore from the earlier Rs 47,010 crore, providing greater fiscal flexibility. Subsequently, following a shift in banking arrangements of the Government of >Continued on P7