TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Accusing BJP national President Amit Shah for failing to make any commitment on granting special status to Goa, the Congress on Friday said, “It’s the end of special status story for Goa as far as BJP is concerned.”
Addressing media persons, Congress media cell in charge Ramakant Khalap said that vested interests have forced successive governments not to take up the issue of special status seriously. “These vested interests have no party, they can be with anyone,” he said responding to a question on whether along with BJP, it’s also the end of the story for Congress.
“Let’s not talk about the past. Narendra Modi during his visit to Goa had assured that Goa will be accorded with special status on (BJP) coming to power. Now his own party president fails to give any commitment,” Khalap added.
Khalap said that a tiny state like Goa needs special status to protect its scarce land resources and for special monetary assistance. “The concept of special status is deliberately defeated by the BJP government for vested interests. Every piece of land in the State is for sale. The amendments made to the Agricultural Tenancy Act are the best example of how the government wants to sell agricultural land to non-Goans,” he said.
“The purpose of this government is solely to defeat the land reforms introduced post liberation,” he accused.
Congress spokesperson Advocate Yatish Naik questioned why BJP Minister (Alina Saldanha) is silent on her party’s failure to give any commitment on special status. “Why was the issue not raised seriously before Amit Shah?” he questioned.
Further, Naik accused Shah of failing to condemn the call of Ghar Wapsi given by right-wing Hindu organizations. “He failed here too, to protect the interests of the minority section,” he said.
Speaking about the first anniversary of the Modi government, Congress said that the year has been NaMo – ‘No Action Mouth speaks Only’ and the people who voted for BJP have realized this.
