Govt bulldozed Bhumiputra Bill despite red flags: Congress

Team Herald

PANJIM: The Congress on Sunday accused Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of bulldozing the Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill illegally despite red flags from Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate and Secretary (Revenue) Sanjay Kumar.

The Congress said, “It is a fit case for the Governor to dismiss the Sawant government for flouting Parliamentary proceedings and Monserrate should resign as a Minister if she has any self-respect and authority of her portfolio.”

Addressing a press conference, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesman Ashish Kamat said, “Sawant moved a note only on July 27, a day prior to the Assembly session.  The bill was initially sent to the Revenue Department, which raised questions requesting more time, to the bill violating the rights under Article 300 A of the Constitution as well as that not being in consonance with the Supreme Court judgment in the matter of Jaspal Singh v/s State of Punjab with regards to unauthorised structures in public land.” 

Producing information obtained under Right to Information (RTI) Act, Kamat said, “Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate on July 29 flagged the bill on a lot of counts primarily being interests of private owners, government, comunidade, constructions in NDZ, CRZ, eco-sensitive zones, etc, and rather proposed detailed discussions on the bill. The same was then sent to the Law Department on July 29, which further raised the questions of the bill having to be sent for consideration of the President of India due to it violating Article 300 A of the Constitution.”

Kamat said, “On July 30 the notings of the Secretary (Revenue) Sanjay Kumar clearly stated that the bill has not been administratively approved by the Revenue Minister and it needed time to be examined. On the same day the file was submitted to the Finance Department and Under Secretary (Finance) Pranab Bhat noted that the proposal is not recommended as it requires more detailing and that the introduction of the bill is not recommended.” 

“Even after all adverse comments of the Revenue, Law and Finance Departments as well as the Revenue Minister, the Chief Minister overruled the same and gave financial concurrence,” Kamat said adding that the cabinet note was then presented by the Secretary (Revenue) at 2 am on July 30 with a clear caution to the government of future ramifications.  The bill was then circulated to the Members of the Legislative Assembly early at around 4 am on July 30 to be discussed in the Assembly as per the business mentioned in few hours time. 

“The notings and the comments clearly expose the ulterior motive of the BJP government in misleading the general public who would fall for such political gimmicks as it was well-known much beforehand that the bill would not stand the test of legal scrutiny as well as that it would require President’s assent. This act of the government is akin to what they did with the mining issue wherein they gave people false hopes that they would challenge the decision of the Supreme Court and ultimately failed to do so as they knew that they would not be able to get a favourable verdict from the Apex Court,” Kamat said.

Congress’ RTI Cell chairman Domnic Noronha has cautioned the people of Goa not to fall for this unlawful and illegal gimmick akin to the multiple false starts that this BJP government has given them especially in mining, which was struck down by the Supreme Court.

Congress senior spokesman and national media cell member Trajano D’Mello alleged that the Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill is a `jumla’ by the BJP government and that the bill was passed to mislead the people who are living in illegal houses. 

“The way the government bypassed the notings of the Revenue Minister shows how it treats ministers with contempt,” he said alleging that the Constitutional provisions have been thrown to the winds.