However, the opposition party claims it would be happy if the current BJP government manages to grant Special Status under Article 371 of the Constitution of India for monetary assistance and protection of its unique identity and culture.
“I would like to make Congress party stand very clear. Party welcomes if BJP can grant Special Status under Article 371 of the Constitution of India. But the said Article does not protect the land,” Congress spokesperson Sunil Kawthankar told media persons Tuesday.
“As per Article 246 (3) of the Constitution, the agricultural land and water bodies is a State subject and State has power to enact legislation for protection of agricultural land. If voted to power in the 2017 assembly election, Congress assures to grant Special Status under Article 246 of the Constitution,” he said.
The difference of opinion on the Special Status within the Congress was wide open after its senior leaders expressed different viewpoints, unclear on what ground Goa needs special status.
While Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) Shantaram Naik is of the view that Goa needs Special Status to protect its land resources by amending Article 371 of the Constitution of India, his other two senior colleagues – party president Luizinho Faleiro and former Law Commissioner Ramakant Khalap – are of the strong view that the State doesn’t require Special Status to protect land but the State itself can enact legislation and ban the sale of agricultural land to non-Goans.
Kawthankar Tuesday reiterated that the State has enough powers to ban sale of agricultural land to non-agriculturist and non-Goans. He said that the 18th Law Commission report, submitted to the government in March 2012, speaks about the specific legislation.
