PANJIM: Goencho Avaaz, the umbrella organisation of various NGOs, has decided to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and INC president Rahul Gandhi for a roundtable discussion, during their visits to the State, to discuss various Goa-centric issues, including grant of Special Status, promised by the two parties in a bid to garner votes during past elections.
While Gandhi will address Congress booth workers on March 8, the Prime Minister’s March 7 visit has been postponed.
Addressing media persons, Goencho Avaz co-convenor Captain Viriato Fernandes said the invite to both leaders would be sent through their respective party organisations in Goa and they will also directly contact the Prime Minister’s Office and All India Congress Committee (AICC) office for an appointment.
Fernandes said that Goencho Avaz wants to engage with the leaders on contentious topics like regional plan, protection of land, Goa’s heritage, destruction in the name of development, CRZ, tourism policy, mining, coal pollution, employment policy for youths, education, to understand their stand and policy that will help in saving and preserving Goa for future generations.
“It could be either a debate or a face-to-face discussion to unravel and understand their plans for Goa and Goenkarponn,” he said.
Pointing to a major failure of successive governments, Fernandes recalled that Congress national leaders had in 2009 promised to grant special status to Goa, followed by BJP’s promise during the 2012 election campaign and Modi’s assurance during his election rally in January 2014.
“Now, we want to know from both the leaders as why is the delay, or what happened to their promise,” Fernandes said, pointing out that Rahul Gandhi has assured to grant special status to Andhra if voted to power.
“We also want special status to protect our land, our resources, our rights and Goenkarponn. We don’t want any financial package,” he stressed.
