July 6, 2005 To: Administrator, GOANET.
Sir, Subject: Press Statement for favour of publication. Herewith, with please find the Press Statement issued by the Goa Su-Raj Party on the possible revival of the PDAs by the Rane government which have been disbanded during the President's Rule. Thanking you, Yours Sincerely, for Goa Su-Raj Party. Sd/- (Floriano C. Lobo) General Secretary/Spokesperson ** PRESS STATEMENT The Goa Su-Raj party is very concerned to note that a section of the press has voiced the wish of a Congressman that another Mapusa based Congressman should be given the chairmanship of the Mapusa PDA. Based on this report the Goa Su-Raj Party wishes to say the following, in case the present Rane government is toying with the idea of resurrecting the PDAs which have been disbanded during the President's Rule, mainly on the insistence of the Congress Party: 1. Congress MLAs including Mr. Narvekar has made public statements to say that the PDAs, in their extended jurisdiction over panchayat areas, are "PIDA' meaning disease to term it in the Konkani terminology. 2. All parties of Goa including the Goa Su-Raj Party as well as a host of citizens had denounced the PDAs as the ultimate in corruption and that these should be scrapped. 3. Various panchayats have passed resolutions against the PDAs being extended to the panchayat jurisdiction and that PDAs should be scrapped altogether. 4. The Congress Party and Goa Su-Raj Party gave a joint press conference at the Congress House in Panjim against the PDAs in September, 2003. 5. The Congress Party organized a morcha on 30th September, 2003, from the Azad Maidan, Panjim to the Vidhan Sabha at Porvorim, culminating in a meeting at the entrance of the Mandovi bridge where speaker after speaker, including Mr. Rane spitted venom against the PDAs and against the Manohar Parrikar led government for making the PDAs into institutions of corruption. If the Congress led coalition is now toying with the idea of resurrecting the PDAs, it will be a clear message to the people that the Congress Party and its allies only believe in ideals and fair and honest administration when it is cornered into the opposition. Are we going to see another cynical Congress led administration once more?? END
