Demand for special status to Goa gains momentum

Demand for special status to Goa gains momentum
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: The demand for special status for Goa gained further momentum on Sunday with as many as three village gram sabhas across Salcete countryside demanding special status.
The demand for special status echoed at the Sao Jose de Areal gram sabha on Sunday when members unanimously adopted a resolution to that effect. Sarpanch Julio Monteiro told Herald that the resolution demanding special status was adopted unanimously at the gram sabha.
Gram sabha member Freddy Travasso informed that the meeting underlined the need to bestow special status for Goa to protect the culture, identity and land resources.
The gram sabha of Assolna village Panchayat also joined the special status bandwagon by adopting an unanimous resolution. Gram sabha members pointed out that special status for Goa is the need of the hour to retain and protect the state’s identity.
The Camurlim village gram sabha also adopted an unanimous resolution demanding special status for Goa.
The Movement for Special Status for Goa Joint secretary Anthony Alvares has said that around 40-odd village gram sabhas across the state have already adopted a resolution in favour of special status for Goa. He said the resolutions have been forwarded directed to the President and the Prime Minister of India for necessary action.
Incidentally, deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’Souza, while addressing a symposium of MSSG at Navelim, had called upon the village gram sabhas, Municipal bodies and the Zilla Panchayats to adopt resolutions in favour of special status to take the ongoing movement to its logical conclusion.