Team Herald
PANJIM: Days after Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar termed special status is like a ‘mirage’, Congress President Luizinho Faleiro on Friday said that Government should not lose hope and pursue with the demand for Special Status to Goa for financial component as well as to preserve the land resource and unique identity of the State.
Addressing media persons, Faleiro said that though the State is little late, it is not too late to go ahead with the proposal, considering that BJP ruling both in Goa as well as at the Centre. “We failed to take up the matter soon after liberation as half of the population was busy fighting against state merger with Maharashtra,” he said.
“Even though, it is not too late. Goa needs special status for two components- financial and to protect is scars land resources and to preserve its unique identity and culture,” Faleiro said adding ‘we should not lose hope’.
The Congress senior leader assured full support to BJP for fulfilling their election promise to grant Special Status to Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution of India.
During a media briefing over his one year completion in chair, Parsekar on Wednesday categorically ruled out the possibility of Goa getting a special status from the Centre. He said that Special status from the Centre is like a mirage and he would not like to chase it.
