At a widely attended meeting of the GMFSS and its youth wing, the members discussed the statement of the Hon. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, widely reported in the press that said, “Special status from the Centre for Goa is like a mirage. I don’t want to chase it. There is no possibility of getting Special status.”
Sir, you are well aware of the several meetings held with members of GMFSS and others before an all-party unanimous resolution demanding Special Status under Art. 371 of the Constitution was passed by the House on 15 April 2013.
This was further, followed up by numerous meetings under your chairmanship, submission of names for constituting a legal cell for drafting a legally sound resolution to be placed before the Parliament as advised by you, etc. You had also promised to lead an all-party delegation and the NGOs to meet the Union Home Minister in Delhi.
Your departure from Goa to the Central Ministry cannot mean that all these efforts should now become redundant and promises made to the public be broken.
Is the present CM and the Government of Goa not duty bound to take all the necessary steps to ensure fulfillment of this resolution or can he now turn around and say that there is no possibility of getting Special Status? Does this not amount to betrayal of the people of Goa?
At the Vijay Sankalp Rally, Narendra Modi, the then Prime Ministerial candidate and the present Prime Minister of the Nation appreciated the stand of the people of Goa demanding Special status to preserve Goa’s unique identity, culture and heritage unlike the other states demanding a financial package.
At the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP approached the Goan electorate with the slogan ‘give us both the seats and we will give you Special status’. The electorate did its job and BJP won both the seats. The BJP also has a massive majority in the Lok Sabha. So, what has changed, be it at the Centre or State level, to make the CM make this statement at this point of time? The people of Goa have a right to know.
