In a related development, the United Tribal Association Alliance (UTAA) on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Governor opposing the amendment, while the Marcaim Rashtrahit Manch had also submitted a memorandum to the Governor objecting to the amendment.
Addressing a press conference along with Varad Mardolkar, Naik said the government had withdrawn the powers of mamlatdar and had handed it over to the civil court in the recent Amendment to the Goa Agricultural Tenancy Act (Amendment Bill) 2014.
“This is not in the interest of the majority of tenants and mundkars in the State. The rights of the mamlatdar should be reinstated by the government in the best interest of the OBC, ST and other poor people, who are tenants,” said Naik.
“This amendment will benefit the landlord as the tenants will have to file their cases and sometime, tenant could lose the right while fighting in court.”
“Before enacting such an amendment, the State government had failed to create awareness in the matter and the government should conduct special gram sabhas to make aware of the amendment. Despite 38 years of the Tenancy Act, people have not got their rights.”
“Henceforth, the government has awarded the tenancy cases to civil courts and it would be a costly matter for the poor tenant, who cannot purchase the land which they were cultivating for the past several years,” Naik added.
He blamed the MGP for not raising its voice against this amendment and added that not a single MLA had raised the issue in the assembly.
Varad Mamlatdar criticised the chief minister for stating that advocates are delaying the tenancy case and that the government had brought about the amendment to frame a time limit to file cases.
“If Parrikar really wants to dispose off tenancy and Mundkar cases, he should appoint more special mamlatdars and frame a time limit to these officers and not blame advocates for the government’s inefficiency.
