16 Apr 2024  |   07:19am IST

Khalap calls for setting up revenue courts to clear backlog of mundkarial cases

Cong’s candidate says MP Shripad's performance during the past 25 years is not praiseworthy

Team Herald

MAPUSA: The Congress Party’s North Goa Lok Sabha candidate Adv Ramakant Khalap has called for setting up special revenue courts to tackle the backlog of mundkarial and land-related cases.

Khalap was speaking at a meeting with party workers held at Setu Sangam, near the new bus stand, Bicholim, as part of his election campaign.

Also present was Aldona MLA and coordinator for the party’s North Goa Lok Sabha seat Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira, and other party workers.

“During my tenure as Chairman of Goa Law Commission, I had submitted a report proposing setting up of special revenue courts to tackle pending cases related to mundkars, tenancy, land revenue code, partition, mutation, devasthans, etc. The government has ordered mamlatdars to hear such cases every Saturday. But how will they clear the huge backlog of cases by sitting on weekends for a few hours? Even the grant of sanads has dragged on for years,” he said.

Khalap said that the incumbent MP Shripad Naik’s performance during the past 25 years is not praiseworthy, with ‘nothing substantial to show’.

“Naik has not done anything extra during his tenure as MP. All MPs get a fixed amount of funds to utilise in their constituency. It is very easy to distribute funds for development. Building crematoriums, etc, is not termed as development,” he said.

 

Other than that, he has no achievement to show. Even during my tenure of 18 months as MP, I also received similar funds. However, Naik has been an MP for the past 25 years and also Union Minister of various portfolios. What are the noteworthy projects that he can show to his credit? On Mhadei river, Naik had said he would resign over the Mhadei issue, however, he did not keep his word. He always remains quiet. If you elect me, I assure you, Goa’s issues will be raised in Delhi,” Khalap said.

Adv Ferreira said that the BJP has no data to show what kind of development Naik had undertaken in the past 25 years.

He said, “We need people with seriousness of thought and who can speak. And that’s why the Congress party has given the best candidate, Ramakant Khalap, who he added, is well respected.”