PANJIM : Amidst the ongoing debate on the grant of Special Status to Goa, ruling BJP legislator Vishnu Wagh sparked controversy by stating that ‘Goa would not have to beg for Special Status had it not achieved statehood in 1987.’
The legislator, who is always seen at loggerheads with his government, alleged that the BJP-led government failed to press for the demand of Special Status before the Centre, in a bid to protect vested interest. “The politicians, irrespective of party affiliation have become corrupt….sold every piece of land to non-Goans….the vested interest is something that has restricted the successive government’s including BJP not to take up Special status issue seriously,” the St Andre MLA alleged.
Wagh said that Goa did a historical mistake by accepting statehood on May 30, 1987, when the Union territory was split, and Goa was made India’s twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining an Union territory.
“Goa would have been much safe and better as Union territory. We have no need to ask for Special Status if Goa was still an Union territory,” the legislator said.
Pointing to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s recent statement that granting Special Status is not possible, Wagh said “the move is basically to protect the vested interest”. “BJP government has failed completely to pursue the matter…it never forced or pressurized central government with the demand,” he said.
The MLA claimed that Goa is quite capable of getting Special Status under Article 371 of the Constitution of India, for protection of its land and unique identity. “Goa is unique from other states and the central government just cannot shy away from the issue just by giving an excuse that if Special Status is given to Goa, other states will also demand,” he added.
The central government twice turned down the state government’s demand for Special Status to Goa stating that the demand is against the Constitution. While then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was active on the issue, the present chief minister has refused to pursue the matter.
