PANJIM: Hours before the counting, prominent civil society groups said they were expecting the new government to ensure a just and integrate development of the State.
“We expect the new government ensure a just and integral development of the whole State, inclusive of all the constituencies. The new government should primarily devolve powers to the local governing bodies as per the 73rd and 74th Amendment of the Constitution,” said one of the members at a press conference in the capital city on Wednesday.
The six civil society groups comprising of Council for Social Justice and Peace, Jamaat e Islami Hind, Chicalim Youth Farmer’s Club, Goanchya Kul Mundkarancho Aavaz, Backward and Minorities Communities Employee’s Federation and Citizen’s Initiative for Communal Harmony also stated that the new government should also be open for better public scrutiny, safe guard environment and provide livelihood opportunities to the citizens which are of utmost importance.
“Protection of the Goan identity, preservation of the culture and promoting ecological balance are the challenges the new government has to work with zeal,” said the members.
The recent Goa State Assembly Elections 2022 had greater number of parties and consequently more candidates including Independents as contestants. The members said that exit polls spelt out a hung Assembly which may open a floodgate of defections and horse-trading among the winners.
They also expressed apprehensions that this situation sets a high possibility of luring candidates for obtaining the majority.
“Unfortunately, the civil society members, in the past, remained indifferent to the blatant rumblings of defections in the State. The immoral behaviour of the electorate during campaigning could be the reason for the deafening silence towards such acts of defections. The mandate has been given by the electorate which should be respected.
In the context of a weak Anti-Defection Law, the civil society has to assume active and dynamic responsibility to ensure the mandate of the people through the ballot is respected,” the members said.
