Panaji, Sep 10 (IANS): Goa's opposition parties on Thursday demanded the immediate withdrawal of an official circular banning civil servants from joining popular agitations and participating in signature campaigns against the state government's policies and decisions.

"(The) Right to Protest against injustice is (a) democratic right of every Citizen.@GovtofGoa must withdraw (the) 'Ban on Protest' order & ensure that hardworking Govt. Employees are given full support in these testing times of#CovidPandemic & are not forced to protest," Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat tweeted on Thursday.

On Wednesday, a circular issued by the state Vigilance department had warned bureaucrats of disciplinary action if they were found participating in agitations and signature campaigns.

"It is noticed that a number of government servants are getting involved in agitations/campaigns against government policies and signing petitions to that effect and submitting the same directly to the Governor and the Chief Minister without established practice of routing through proper channel, thereby bypassing the higher authorities," the circular had said.

Groups of bureaucrats last month had petitioned the Raj Bhavan and even staged a protest at the state Secretariat, after a spike in Covid-19 cases had resulted in several junior civil servants testing positive.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, as well as five other legislators, have also tested Covid-19 positive.