The Congress leaders reached the hotel around midnight and demanded to meet the Union minister over the Mahadayi river water dispute with Karnataka. When the hotel management refused them permission, they sat on a protest in the lobby. Later, the leaders were detained and taken to a police station in Panaji. The leaders included Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee President Varad Mardolkar, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Sankalp Amonkar, office-bearer Janardhan Bhandari. Mardolkar said the Congress delegation wanted to meet Javadekar to question him on the Central government's "silence" over Mahadayi river water diversion by Karnataka.