Luizinho says no to Greater Goa
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, SEPT 26
Firmly opposing any moves for a Greater Goa by merging Konkani speaking areas into the State, former Chief Minister, Luizinho Faleiro has said he doesn’t want the ghost of merger to come through the back door in Goa and asked all the champions of lost causes to stop misguiding Goans on the agenda for a Greater Goa.
‘The people of Goa will not like to lose their identity. We have already lost much of our identity. The agenda of the champion of lost causes for a Greater Goa will be like another step when some people launched a movement to merge Goa into Maharashtra saying Marathi is the language of Goans. At that time, the people fought for their identity and we would not like the champions of lost causes to again misguide Goans”, he said.
Faleiro was reacting to demands in some quarters, including PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, for merger of Konkani speaking areas of Karwar to make Greater Goa.
Saying that Goa has got a unique identity, culture and a unique place on the map of India, Faleiro said “for historic reasons, Konkani loving people migrated to Karwar, Mangalore, and many parts of the world. That does not mean that all these areas should be merged with Goa”.
Asserting that he does not subscribe with the idea of Greater Goa, Faleiro said that he doesn’t want the ghost of the merger to come through the back door in Goa and spoil the peace and tranquility of Goans.
Replying to a question on special category status for Goa, Faleiro said “We had made various wrong moves at the time of Liberation. I cannot talk of what has happened then as I was just 10 years old”.
Faleiro said it is not too late to ask for benefits from the Centre as are being enjoyed by other States. “As a CWC member incharge of some States which are enjoying special category status, there are lot of benefits they enjoy. These States enjoy 90 per cent grants and only 10 per cent loan. In the case of Goa, we receive 80 per cent loan and only 10 per cent grants”.
Replying to a question, Faleiro said that the people, who were demanding merger of Goa into Maharashtra, ought to have asked for special category status, adding that it is still not too late to ask for Central benefits for the State.
