Many Goans, who at some point of time, or most of their time pinned their hopes in Goa getting a Special Status, have discarded their dream, some of them thinking that it would have never happened. Meanwhile, a large majority are bitter because they were always told otherwise. It was a dream many Goans who felt that the status would give them the all important control over their land and a restriction on rampant buying of land, rode on and it is that dream that has got a quiet but firm burial. Just as the other hope that the anti-Mopa agitation would someday bear fruit and the Mopa project would get re-looked at. Both these hopes are well and truly in the casket.
Before we go any further, we are talking the liberty of replaying the information package we have run on Page 1 of this edition, to tell you that the BJP states Presidents claim that the party did not.
On April 15, 2013 — then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar moved resolution on the floor of the House to lead a delegation to Centre demanding special status to Goa to protect its land and unique identity. Resolution was passed unanimously by the House, after which an all-party delegation met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
And then in September, this happened — September 21, 2013 to be precise. Environment and Forests Minister Alina Saldanha says she will resign as Minister if Goa does not get Special Status under special provisions once BJP comes to power in 2014.
And then in April 2014, BJP Lok Sabha election manifesto says party will try for special status for Goa to retain the state’s unique identity.
So if the BJP state party called a press conference, to delink itself from any promise it made towards giving a Special Status in its election manifesto of 2012, they are right. But this gets totally offset when an Assembly resolution is passed, in the era of a BJP government.
But the focus must remain on Alina Saldanha. She came into office after the untimely death of her husband whose politics was devoted to giving Goa Special Status. And when she made the announcement that the cause was bigger than her office and would resign, she must live up to her announcement. If there is ever any time that Alina Saldanha should show that her cause or at least her husband’s cause, which was most of Goa’s, is bigger than her office, she should quit, even though the significance of her resignation will be only symbolic. And yet it will be very significant. If there is one move of her short political career that can transform Alina Saldanha from an ordinary insignificant and less than efficient MLA who got elected unopposed, to some sort of a leader, then this should be it.
But above all, everyone, including the government, must realise that this is not about funds. The BJP state party says that the Rs 9,000 crore for the construction of the new Zuari Bridge, Rs 150 cr for the electronic city and funds for the Mopa international airport and Rs 10,000 crore for the Mumbai-Goa highway, is “special status”. But it is not.
And Mr Parrikar knows this. On August 1, 2014, Mr Parrikar told the House that Special Status is needed for protection of land resources and this should be done either through a constitutional amendment or by enacting a fresh law, and a proposal would be submitted to the Centre by September 2014.
Special Status is, we repeat, not about getting funds for bridges and highways, but a protective right to preserve and protect what we have. Our land, our forests and our identity. These are things that the less sensitive will find very hard to understand.
