PANJIM: Minister Mauvin Godinho, Goa’s representative on the GST Council, has demanded an apology from the Tamil Nadu Finance Minister, that State’s new representative on the council for insulting Goa, other smaller States and defying the spirit of the Indian Constitution and democracy.
Godinho, addressing media persons on Saturday, a day after the council had its 43rd meeting via virtual conferencing, said that during the meeting TN’s Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan, in his first appearance before the council, passed disparaging comments against Goa.
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The issue arose when Godinho made a presentation seeking quicker relief to smaller States like Goa when it comes to the compensation cess GST shortfall that is released by the Centre at regular intervals.
Thiagarajan objected to this, demanded that preferential treatment be given to bigger States and that TN should get more than one vote because of its size as opposed to the existing one vote per State system. Thiagarajan questioned why the council should be paying attention or listening to the demands of Goa.
Godinho condemned this, which he said was unprecedented given that in the past, States were not insulted whenever there have been dissenting voices regarding proposals made by individual States or the council. He added that irrespective of party affiliation, States have almost always arrived at a consensus, except for two instances, such as Kerala State lottery issue but that even then no remarks were passed against any State in particular.
Godinho quoted the TN minister as saying, ‘I have a large constituency… My Tamil Nadu is my own constituency, which is bigger than the whole of Goa… My vote and my voting in the GST council should have more value.’
“Does he not believe whatever your status, whatever your standing in society, whether your constituency comprises lakhs of voters or a few thousand voters, everybody has got one vote?” Godinho asked.
Godinho added that the GST council has been similarly constitutionally constituted where every State gets one vote. Calling all right-thinking people in the country to condemn Thiagarajan’ act, Godinho added that the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, chairperson of the GST council snubbed Thiagarajan as well at the meeting, when he tried to make his argument, not once but twice.
“I took offence at yesterday’s meeting because he said ‘what is Goa, Goa is a small thing, it is a small population, you should listen me’. He tried to tell the chairperson, he should be heard more but the Finance Minister clearly told him, ‘everybody is equal before the law…there is no bigger vote and smaller vote… Whether you are a small State, big State or a medium State, all are equal, all carry equal weightage’,” Godinho said.
Stating that he had communicated his feelings directly to the TN FM, Godinho added, “But issue doesn’t rest until Palanivel apologises.”
“This is against the people of Goa. I represent the Goan people in the Council. This is also an affront to all the smaller States. He is saying you are small, therefore you keep quiet. How can this happen? A distinction is being made that you (Goa) are a very small State. This is never acceptable, should not be acceptable and I strongly condemn it in the strongest terms,” Godinho said.
“I want to remind the new Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr Palanivel, to refrain from conducting himself in a manner as a big brother versus small brother or big State versus small State. We all have equal rights. He should not target Goa. He should apologise. What is he trying to tell me? That is he is against the Constitution of the country. Does he not believe in the Constitution of India or in equality before law,” Godinho added.
Godinho further demanded that the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M K Stalin should also condemn his Finance Minister’s statement and make him apologise.
“An argument is being advanced in a democracy which is dangerous for democracy and shows that he does not believe in it. I have asked him to make amends as these trends if developed are unhealthy in a democracy,” Godinho added.
