http://www.targetgoa.com/goabuzzdet.php?bzid=7019&&id=3
26, Jul 2015Lucknow MP, Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar has convinced his
puppets in Goa to give up 150 acres of land in Naquerim, Betul , Quepem, South
Goa for a "permanent venue" for the defense forces to conduct aero shows - the
Defexpo and Aero India shows. Parrikar wrote to Chief Minister Laxmikant
Parsekar on June 12 for allocation of land for the said purpose. The same was
moved to IDC on July 7. 150 acres is 6 lakh square metres. Six lakh square
metres in a state which has scarcity of land.
Is it age? Or the strain of flying up and down between Delhi and Goa to be
Goa's weekend Chief minister? Has the altitude affected the good man's brain?
But our weakened CM Laxmikant Parsekar has obediently agreed and has passed on
Parrikar's instructions to the Goa Industrial Development Corporation to see if
it is possible. The Chairman of GIDC Ganesh Gaonkar says the allotment of the
land to the defence is confirmed.
Parrikar is going back on his word so often, his word is mud. His opposition
against the existing vast holdings of Goa land by the Defence Forces was
legendary when he was Opposition Leader. He spoke passionately and bitterly
against the Army, the Navy and MPT occupying vast quantities of land in Goa.
He had wanted the Army to vacate the property they continued to occupy even
though they had taken possession of new land alloted to them. On July 19, 2012,
then Chief Minister Parrikar said that he was very patriotic and that he had
nothing against the armed forces. He stated that it was easier to make the Army
vacate Lahore than to make them vacate their civilian installations in Panaji.
He said that the Goa government had allotted the Army land on the outskirts of
Panaji in exchange for the space they were occupying in Panaji. But not only
did they take the land outside Panaji, they also refused to give up the space
in Panaji, he said.
Parrikar has in the recent past even when he was Chief Minister, spoken about
how little land there is for giving away in Goa. That the people of Goa need
every square metre they can get and we have nothing to spare for central
government agencies. Now as Lucknow MP Parrikar wants to give away 6 lakh sq
metres of Goa to his Ministry.
Now lets go to his committment to Bengaluru that Yelahanka in Bengaluru will
continue to be the venue for all future Aero India Shows of the Ministry of
Defence. He even stated at that time that just because he was from Goa, it did
not mean he would want the Aero show to be held in Goa. He said the present
venue in Bengaluru was the best for the show pointing out that aero industries
and labs are located in Bengaluru.
He went back on his promise to Bengaluru too. And seems to suffer no heartburn
over it.
The Ministry of Defence made a presentation to the State Government and it was
kept secret from the media. Except that you cannot keep anything a secret for
too long in Goa. The lame excuse given is "our youth will get jobs" and "people
will come from all over the world and spend money here" and "an event like this
is only possible through Manohar Parrikar".
The determination with which Parrikar has broken most of the promises he made
in order to get elected, strains the brain. This cloak and dagger parceling off
a huge chunk of land to the Defence Ministry makes absolutely no sense.
As Goa's Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik says, this is just another instance of
land grab in Goa by the Defence forces. He too is flummoxed that this land grab
is being facilitated by none other than Manohar Parrikar. If he thought he was
doing it for the good of Goa, going against his own stated principles of not
giving away vast tracts of land to Central agencies. What jobs can our youth
get? These are exhibitions. Companies put up their own stalls, and staff them
with their own people. After the show, they go. Parrikar generally mades a
huge song and dance about any plans he has for Goa. Why was he silent on this
one?
Chief Minister Parsekar said the land would not be sold or given to the Army,
it would remain in the possession of Goa. We heard something similar in 1961
and saw our civilian airport turn into a Naval one. We need a guarantee that a)
the land will be used only for aeroshow exhibition purposes b) it will never be
turned into housing or warehousing for defense installations and c) that it is
used as a permanent exhibition ground for high end internationally reputed
exhibitions.That will benefit the locals.
PARRIKAR FINDING HIS WINGS is more risky to Goa when he is outside Goa than
inside
