TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar found himself in tight spot over the issue of special status when he was asked to comment as to when the BJP realised that Special Status for Goa is not feasible and that the demand should fit within the Constitutional framework.
When the media asked the chief minister to elaborate his stand on the special status for Goa on the sidelines of the concluding function of the 60th National Games at Fatorda sports complex, Parsekar said he is completely in favour of special status for the State and reminded of the unanimous resolution adopted in the State in its favour. However, he hastened to add that one has to also take into cognisance the feasibility and practicability of the issue. “As far as the feasibility is concerned, it appears difficult. Tomorrow, we cannot promise that we will give you the sun or the moon when it cannot be given,” he said, while making it clear that the demand should fit into the Constitutional framework.
When Herald sought to know from the CM when exactly the BJP realised that special status is not feasible when the party had all along promised Goans of special status, Parsekar evaded an answer, and instead said “we can still try, there is no problem.”
He continued saying that Goa enjoys the best political scenario for the moment, with Manohar Parrikar enjoying the Cabinet status at the Centre, and Sripad Naik in the Council of Ministers besides the two Members of Parliament. “Such a situation I have never seen before. But, as I have said earlier, any decision on special status should be within the framework of the Constitution. The Assembly had adopted a unanimous resolution on the issue, but the demand may still not be achieved.
despite the unanimous resolution,” Parsekar added.
Shantaram warns: Morjim will become Moscow
MARGAO: Attacking the BJP for making tall promises to Goans on the issue of special status, Rajya sabha MP Shantaram Naik has said that Morjim in Chief Minister’s Laxmimant Parsekar constituency will now become Moscow with the Centre not in favour of granting special status.
Naik said the emerging development will now leave no choice to one of the ministers in the Parsekar Cabinet than to resign, hinting at Forest Minister Alina Saldanha’s promise to resign if her party fails to grant special status to Goa.
Addressing the media, Naik slammed the BJP for going back on its promise to fulfil the dreams of Goa with special status when the party has majority in the Lok Sabha. In a lighter vein, Naik said that Parsekar will
now give RSS training to
Russians in Morjim in order to win the next election.
“The UPA government had no numbers to venture into any such proposal regarding special status. The NDA enjoys a clear majority in Lok Sabha and could have entered into a dialogue with various political parties to obtain their support in the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Naik also slammed Defence Minister Manohar Parikar for his failure to get a legislation to amend the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955 to protect citizenship of Goans who may loose their right after registering their births in Portugal under special legal facility given by that country to Goans born in Goa prior to Independence.
He also told the media that the proposal for a separate cadre of All India Services for the state has not seen light of the day.
“Parrikar, at least, had the capacity to make his proposals pass through the “green channel” of bureaucracy, but one wonders whether the present chief minister wields such power,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also criticised the BJP for statements on re-conversion of minorities to Hinduism and the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. “Modi took no action even when one of his Ministers and MP made highly objectionable statements,” he said, adding that it is for the minority MLAs supporting the BJP government to take cognisance of the same.
