TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Goa Su-raj party is trumping women’s rights, in various domains including at grassroot politics, over other issues as it is set to release its manifesto next week.
The party has also batted for transgenders by claiming it would help them live a decent life and ensure they are not found begging or in forced into prostitution.
Party secretary Savio Rodrigues said the dominant theme of the manifesto is ‘Goa for Goans’ with emphasis on empowering the marginalised sections of society.
Su-raj party aims to encourage women above 18 years to contest seats in all institutions from Zilla Parishad upwards according to their percentage in the population.
“All female children and adolescents/youth must be enrolled in schools and must finish primary and secondary school, even where tuitions and special classes are required to be funded by local panchayat… The State will start bank accounts for girl children when they are six years of age and a matching sum will be deposited into their account when they complete the secondary school education and incentives will be added in cash if they get first class/good marks,” Rodrigues said.
The party also promises to discourage adolescent girls’ marriages in all communities and shown inclination to work on safety and security and ensure their interests are protected.
In their endeavour to uplift the neglected citizens, the party said it will work along with the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual and Transsexual (LGBT) community at state-level and Centre towards de-criminalising the current decision of the Supreme Court which has upheld the legality of the low criminalising gay sex.
“The party will be the first in India to raise the issue of reservation in government jobs and education as well as subsidies for those the Third Gender… The transgenders in Goa are forced to take up prostitution or begging as they are very poor and neglected citizens…Why can’t we classify them under special category and provide them decent livelihood? We can help them set up small business like vegetable kiosk,” Rodrigues said.
The party is also set to take up other issues of the State such as special status for Goa, reworking the Gadgil Mukherjee formula on revenue sharing between Centre and states, shifting the Naval base from Dabolim to Sea Bird, Karwar, renaming new airport terminus as Dr Jack De Sequeira among other issues.
The party promises to discourage adolescent girls’ marriages in all communities and work for their safety and security
