VASCO: GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro has claimed that the BJP State government has made Goa the highest per capita tax states in the country due to its unplanned borrowings, and it had put every citizen of Goa in debt of Rs 1 lakh.
Faleiro was addressing a gathering of over 5,000 people during a Congress workers’ convention-cum – International Women’s Day celebration organized by the Mormugao Block Congress Committee in association with Jai Tara Nari Welfare Trust at Baina beach on Sunday.
The aim of the convention was to formally launch the 2017 Assembly campaign of the Mormugao Congress unit and to informally declare Sankalp Amonkar as the party’s candidate from Mormugao Constituency.
“On one hand, BJP fooled the people by promising schemes for housewives, and on the other side, it has imposed several taxes only to make Goa one of the highest per capita tax states in country. Ironically, the State BJP government has also put every citizen of Goa in debt of Rs 1 lakh due to it unplanned borrowings.”
AICC Secretary Dr A Chella Kumar said, “The BJP made numerous promises during the 2012 elections, but 95 percent of promised remained unfulfilled. What irritates people more is the promise of creating 50,000 jobs. In the last four years, the number of unemployed people has crossed 1.5 lakh, and credit goes to the BJP’s unplanned policies.”
Opposition leader Pratapsingh Rane stated that the BJP only knew how to fool the people. He said, “Forget about carrying out development, they have been displacing people the way they did with poor Baina residents. This government has even shown its weakness and has claimed helplessness even to resolve the issue of pending salary of Western India Shipyard limited (WISL) workers. As a responsible opposition, we will surely corner the BJP government during the Assembly session on all issues.”
Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco urged Goans to question the BJP leaders on the reasons for celebrating four years of rule and ask them to prove what kind of development brought about in Goa during that time. He added, “The BJP failed to deliver, but achieved success in taking U-turns.”
Congress leader Sankalp Amonkar slammed Power Minister Milind Naik for allegedly harassing Congress workers by using government machinery to remove his (Amonkar) banners hung from electricity poles a few hours before the convention. He also accused Naik of not extending help to the WISL workers and not resolving the issues of coal pollution and the stinking garbage plant at Headland Sada
Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar accused the BJP government of hurting the sentiments of Goans by changing the Tenancy Act. He also called the government “inefficient” as it had failed to resolve the issues of MoI, Regional Plan, shifting of casinos from the Mandovi River, and appointment of a Lokayukta, among other things. He even claimed that this year’s State budget was simply a formality as the government had put the citizens under a huge debt of Rs 12,000 crore.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat also slammed the government for not carrying out any developmental projects in the last four years. He said that the much-needed district hospital, which should have been completed today, was left pending for untold reasons, leaving people to suffer. He also urged Goans to question the government as to why it could not reduce the price of petrol to Rs 25 per liter or even lower as the crude oil price today had dropped significantly.
