SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill 2021, cruelly named to call encroachers and illegal settlers on land “bhumi putras” is not a bill. It is a document for the sale of Goa. It is a document that tells the people of Goa that you do not matter, migrants and illegal settlers do.
It is a bill which in many ways overrides the Tenancy Act and the Mundkar Act in terms of its sweeping powers of blanket regularisation.
The only purpose of the bill was to corner migrants votes across constituencies starting from Dabolim
What was the urgency? Why the hurry? It is clear. Elections are now about six months away. The only and only purpose of the bill to corner migrant voters in constituencies where you cannot win without them like Dabolim, where Minister Mauvin Godinho wins only because of them. But with over 15 constituencies where the migrant vote is all-important or at least influential, no single MLA across party lines dared to oppose this bill which was selling Goa.
When this bill was being passed where was opposition? Did they walk out strategically? Was it prefixed? Did they just allow the government to sell away Goa without a single word of protest? While all attention was very rightly on the Benaulim double rape case, why couldn’t a single MLA rise up to stop the rape of Goa? Why couldn’t they put the bill on hold before a detailed discussion was held? The opposition could have also asked for the bill to be sent to a Select Committee of the Assembly consisting of members across political parties to deliberate all aspects of the bill.
Across Salcette Tiswadi, Bardez, Ponda and some other talukas, there is not a single constituency where the migrant vote does not matter. It will be the difference between winning and losing. So it is clear why no MLA wants to strongly oppose the bill and fight for Goan sentiments.
The Chief Minister in the Assembly said that he was waiting for this day when those living in Goa for so many years could have rights over land. He also said that he would defend this Bill and will accept the challenge of anyone who goes to Court against the Bill. Normally when there is a doubt or a feeling that any Bill be challenged in court, isn’t it better to have a full and proper discussion and clear out all doubts before presenting the Bill?
This Bill is too dangerous to the interests of Goans
Did they think they would be able to stand in front of genuine Goans and sell them a story that they were outside the Assembly when the Bill was passed? And will they spin the same story in a different way and tell their migrant voters ‘look we didn’t oppose the bill and we are with you’?
Will any MLA have a face to show in front of Goan voters? And it is a case for Goans to move Court to protect their fundamental right
Genuine Goans, especially those who are legal landowners keep quiet. Basic fundamental rights, including the rights to own land and property anywhere in the country are also violated. The Indian Constitution allows an Indian to buy land anywhere in the country. But the Constitution does not allow illegal occupation of any land by depriving the original landowners of their land rights.
How is it a bill to benefit locals? Are migrants in Goa for 30 years, locals? Then what will you call original Goans?
So are those living in Goa for 30 years the “locals” who have illegal constructions any land, be CRZ and, orchard land tenanted lands and those lands which originally belonged to Goan landlords or village lands and communities, before April 1 2019, will now have legal rights over those. And a Goan or the state of Goa has no right to stop it.
The Chief Minister has said on Goa Revolution Day, of all days, many Goans were anxiously waiting to get the land transferred on their names and it will be his “government’s endeavour to give land rights to the people of Goan origin”.
But look at the definition of ‘bhumiputra’ of the bill in the official document – “Bhumiputra means a person who is residing in the State of Goa at least for a period of thirty years before the date of making application and in occupation of a dwelling unit and includes his or her spouse, son, daughter in law and unmarried daughter”.
Does this definition sound as if it is for an original Goan or a person from outside who has settled here?
Look how the bill defines a dwelling unit
“Dwelling unit means a permanent structure having plinth area not exceeding 250 square metres which has been constructed or in existence before the first day of April 2019 and assessed for the house tax by the local authority and has water and electricity connection”.
Every illegal migrant having illegal housing has a water and electricity connection given by politicians. So the illegal hutments in slums that they have will now fit a definition of “dwelling unit” in the bill and give them all the rights.
Why was this special law passed just to benefit migrants and against our sons and daughters? Because migrant votes matter more than Goan sentiments and rights
Are existing acts already there to regularise land of Goans not enough. There are provisions that if your land is in a settlement area and for some reason not been regularised, there is a clear procedure to do this. Any Goan or for that matter any land-holder can legally regularise their land if it is regularisable meaning if it is not on a land where constructions of houses and buildings cannot take place. The Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill 2021 is an official licence given to illegally capture any land, belonging to Goans, wait for the 30-year period to be over and claim and get the rights over those lands.
This is a totally anti-Goan bill. Why, is our mother land being sold in this manner?
And let all Goans be warned, there is no strict procedure to verify the number of years the so-called ‘migrant’ who wants to be ‘bhumi-putra’, and with their hold over politicians declaring someone a resident of 30 years will be a piece of cake if he or she has readied for even five or ten years. The Bhumiputra Adhikarini is a committee consisting of Deputy Collector as its chairperson and other members namely officials from Town and Country Planning Department, Forest Department, Environment Department and Mamlatdar of Respective Taluka, will declare anyone “Bhumiputra”. This committee is hardly expected to be an independent committee and will only dance to the tune of their political masters. It will be a “His Master’s Voice”.
Did our forefathers fight to have an opinion poll for Goa’s identity, for statehood, Goa, the Konkani agitation to see this day?
Each of these agitations and then the modern day ones fought by the likes of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, The Village Groups of Goa for the preservation of Goan identity land rights and assets like forests, rivers and community land were fought for the rights of the real bhumiputras. To protect Goa and keep its interests alive. How will their families and those of so many others feel when they see their own elected representatives literally sign the sale deed of Goa which will lead to the plunder of its land,
And they are doing this to get migrant votes. But do even the migrants know that the very same authority that has passed the bill can easily delay its implementation on one ground or the other till the elections are over.
MLAs have lost the confidence of Goan votes. Their political survival depends on migrant votes
This Bill clearly shows though it is the fact that most Goan MLAs know they have lost the confidence of Goans and their votes. This is why they need to cling to the migrant votes, as their only chance of political survival. What a shame! But Goans will not allow this to happen. This will be challenged by the people all the way inside and outside the courts.
