Francis, Reginaldo too join the chorus
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The bugle in support of Special Status for Goa was blown on Republic Day at Navelim on Saturday, with Environment Minister, Alina Saldanha making an impassioned plea to Goans to join the movement and rest not till the long-pending demand for Special Status is achieved.
Deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’Souza and Congress MLA, Reginaldo Lourenco also spoke of taking the struggle for Special Status to its logical conclusion by mobilising people at the grass roots.
At a symposium organised by the Movement for Special Status for Goa at Rosary hall, Navelim, speakers urged members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) to unanimously adopt a resolution in the upcoming Assembly session and strongly pursue the demand with the Centre.
In her spirited address, Alina Saldanha said that migrant influx is changing Goa’s demographic, social, cultural and linguistic identity. “We demand Special Status for Goa on two counts: one, when the Constituent Assembly met in 1950 to discuss the needs of the states, Goa was ruled by the Portuguese and hence could not be represented. Secondly, Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru had promised Special Status to protect Goa’s special identity when Goa was liberated in 1961. The Centre must honour the promise made by the first Prime Minister”, she demanded.
She lamented that Goa’s unique character is being destroyed by mega housing to house the rich, adding that locals cannot afford to buy land for housing. “Goa has the highest density of population and the migrant influx has put pressure on the infrastructure”, she added.
In his address, Deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’Souza appealed to the people to leave aside their differences and work unitedly to achieve the demand. “Special Status should not be a political issue, but should be looked as an issue affecting Goa’s identity”, he said.
Expressing Congress support for the Special Status movement, MLA Reginaldo Lourenco asserted that certain politicians have sold the issue to lobbies for their vested interests. “It is not too late to fight for this demand. Let us keep politics behind and fight to protect Goa for posterity”, he added.
Fr Eremito Rebello appealed to both the BJP and the Congress to give Goans Special Status by amending the Constitution. “The Congress at the Centre should meet the Special Status demand before the Lok Sabha polls. I want to ask the BJP what they had done when they were in power”, Fr Rebello asked, while predicting that Goans would be reduced to slum dwellers if their land is not protected by Special Status.
Historian Prajal Sakhardande told the gathering that Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar has promised to pass the resolution in the coming Assembly session. “We have to continue our fight because Special Status for Goa may not be in the interest of the Centre. The elite from the country are coming to Goa to occupy bungalows on the hills and fields”, he said.
Convenor for the Movement for Special Status for Goa, Adv Antonio Lobo said if the Centre does not bestow Special Status for Goa based on the resolution adopted by the Goa Assembly, MSSG will contact Goan diaspora to take up the issue with the Centre via the government where they stay.
Amongst others who spoke were Sergio Carvalho, Anthony Alvares, Adv Andrea Pereira, Floriano Lobo, Adv Yogesh Gaitonde, Floriano Lobo and Rajendra Kakodkar.
