Milind Naik, Power Minister and Mormugao MLA
As Mormugao MLA, the Baina demolitions directly affect Power Minister Milind Naik. He has been accused of allowing the demolitions to take place as most of the residents of the area are Congress supporters. He denies this and says all he wants is development of Baina beach.
Herald: As an Opposition MLA in 2008 you moved a Private Member’s Bill to stall the demolition of houses at Desterro and other portions coming in the NH road alignment. Now you say that not only at Desterro, but you want everything along Baina shore to go. Is this not double standards?
Milind Naik: No, what I did in 2008 was something, which people from Desterro were demanding from me as their MLA. I extended my full support to them and thus spent more than Rs 15 lakh to complete several procedures to save their structures. At that time I had clearly asked them not to accept rehabilitation, however, someone misguided them and these people without informing me accepted the rehabilitation package after which they were told to vacate the premises, but many of them rented out their allotted rooms at Sada GRB colony and continued occupying their old structures, which were recently demolished as they had already received a rehabilitation package by government.
Herald: People are saying that the residents of the Baina hutments are mostly Congress supporters and thus you are neither trying to provide them any relief nor helping them by defer the demolition.
Naik: Firstly, I don’t think that there is any provision under CRZ norms for rehabilitation and if that is the case then I will ask my people to build their houses in CRZ areas and then take benefit of rehabilitation. Secondly, I am not against rehabilitation of genuine cases, however, we cannot just provide rehabilitation to everyone. As far as fishermen from Baina are concerned, I fought a long battle along with the fishing community from Baina and today a majority of them have already been rehabilitated. The accusation that I am differentiating between these residents is false as I never play such politics. That is why I gave jobs without any discrimination to people who are Congress or BJP supporters or of neither party.
Herald: Are you happy with the ongoing mess that is being reported daily? It has become official that the division between locals and migrants is growing, your comment.
Naik: Who wants division of people? I will never support such a thing. It’s the people of Baina who are now coming forward in support of development of Baina beach and I revealed my plans because people of Baina want development at the beach and that is not possible if the structures on sand dunes are existing.
I am asking for compensation, not against demolition
Vijay Sardesai,
Fatorda MLA
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai sensed an opening where he could take on both the BJP and the Congress in Baina and sided with Karnataka Congress MLA, AS Patil, who is against the Karnataka CM. He blames the BJP for going back on Manohar Parrikar’s assurance of compensating displaced Baina settlers and the Congress for not really being serious about solving the issue
Herald: Vijai, what is your interest in the Baina demolition issue for you to jump into the troubled waters, if not for vote bank politics?
Vijai Sardesai: Firstly, it is not correct to say that only Kannadigas will be the target of this proposed demolition. There are many ethnic Goans who are in the fishing business who have been brought up there and have certified government documents. These people petitioned me and I was the first elected representative to visit the area and I happened to meet Mr A S Patil ( Karnataka Cong MLA) who was camping there. A disaster is not happening on Monday. There is an underlying feeling that the government is trying to clear up the beach that gets support from Goans. I am saying that the beach should be cleared, development should happen and displacement is a natural fallout.
Herald: But the BJP is saying the same thing.
Sardesai: But the BJP is not talking about compensation. There are genuine people there who should get compensation.
Herald: But are they living legally or illegally?
Sardesai: When a person lives illegally for 40 years, our Indian system makes it semi-legal. It is not a word in any lexicon or dictionary but they become semi-legal. Plus there is a humanitarian issue. When someone is living for 40 years, you just don’t break their house and send them home. There is a ring road around Margao where there is a prevalence of jamoni people who are Kannadigas. They are municipal workers. The previous Kamat government and the present BJP government are both rehabilitating them. So there is a precedent. I’m not even seeking rehabilitation in this case, but a one-time compensation. When Mr Deshpande (now Karnataka Tourism minister) met Mr Parrikar, he had assured compensation. So promises can’t be broken when Chief Ministers change. This is BJP’s idea given by Manohar Parrikar. Let the government only make a declaration. I’m saying don’t break their homes without telling them anything.
Herald: But the politics is around vote banks. The Congress, BJP and even you are doing it. This stand will help you get votes of similarly placed people in your area.
Sardesai: I have no interest in contesting from the Baina area. I am only asking for compensation. Even the local MLA Milind Naik agrees that compensation should be given as per Mr Parrikar’s promise.
Herald: What is your response to Mr Deshpande’s threat or alluded threat directed at Goans in Karnataka. (The minister has since issued a clarification stating that he only mentioned that Goan IT professionals were in Karnataka)
Sardesai: His response is primitive uncivilized and unbecoming of a minister in a big state. Goa and Karnataka are interdependent. This can’t be solved through veiled threats or direct threats. It’s a humanitarian problem and needs a humanitarian solution. I also feel that that Congress is misleading the population of Baina by bursting crackers at the stay on the demolitions. Their problems have not been solved. The issue is on the boil. Congress leader Pratapsing Rane is not sympathetic to the issue. He went along with Mr Deshpande to meet the CM because he (Deshpande) is senior Congress leader.
