Team Herald
MARGAO: Stating that there is nothing to celebrate the Liberation Day as successive governments have destroyed Goa, Aam Aadmi Party Goa Convener Elvis Gomes called for a second liberation of Goa from the political parties that have ruled it since the Portuguese were driven away.
“The successive governments that ruled Goa along with their alliance partners have only converted this beautiful land into a capital for vices,” he alleged pointing out that Goa has become a haven for drug dealers and other evils like alcoholism, rave parties, prostitutions and EDMs are found everywhere with the backing of the government.
“Last year we were told that EDMs were thrown out of Goa, but suddenly they are returning for what?” he asked, pointing out that the government has done nothing for ethnic Goans including the women, children and senior citizens.
While referring to the hardships faced by the people due to the mega projects like bridges taken up by the government he said thousands of labourers brought by the contractors to work on these projects not only live in pathetic conditions but are also paid a paltry amount as the middlemen take most of the money.
“What is the future of these labourers? Will they be sent back to their native place or will they continue to live in Goa?” he asked while accusing the government of using these projects to change the demography of the State.
Rupesh Velip, who is a ST leader of the party, accused Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar of only developing himself and his family and not the downtrodden people and said many villages in Quepem talukas including Morpirla and Barcem till today do not have PWD water supply, electricity or proper roads.
“There are villages where the pipeline was laid 10 years back but the water has not been released even today,” he said while accusing the Director of Tribal Welfare of working against tribals in the State.
He said the scheme meant to enable tribals take up self-employment is deliberately being killed and said while 70 tribal youth have received the amount earlier and have started their own ventures, applications of 70 others are pending for many months.
Maclean Coutinho, who is a member of AAP women’s wing, lamented that the promise of “zero-tolerance” to atrocities against women and children has been a farce and said that crimes against women have increased instead of decreasing.
“People of Goa know how the government responded to the dowry harassment case of a high-profile family and the person who raped the school girl in Vasco is yet to be apprehended,” she added.
