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2008 International Goan Convention
Toronto, Canada
http://www.2008goanconvention.com
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Dears,
During the Budget session this summer [22-28 March, 2008], the Main OPPOSITION
Party in Goa Legislative Assembly allowed at least half a dozen "Bills" to be
passed UNOPPOSED.
Think nothing of the "Goa [Regulation of] Land Development and Building
Construction, Bill, 2008, in which an ORDINANCE was issued TWICE [the first one
BEFORE the January, 2008, Assembly session and second one vide EXTRA ORDINARY
GAZETTE Series I No. 48 dated 05 MARCH, 2008] but still the Opposition had not
had the TIME to study it enough to raise objection ....or had the time and
found the reason to find out who were their friends who would benefit from the
Act. There was a mild protest against the issue of a SECOND Ordinance, when the
Assembly had met in between, .... BUT not at the content of the Ordinance or
the Bill! After all the bill raised the FSI/FAR in the rural areas. Dempo's
Devashri, Salgaocar's and Chowgule's have have real estate projects in Soccoro,
Slavador do Mundo and other VILLAGES ....and at least one of them has been in
the limelight for the retaining wall collapse in Soccoro-Porvorim.
The GOA BACHAO ABHIYAN was the first to publicly protest against the GOA TOWN
AND COUNTRY PLANNING [AMENDMENT] BILL, 2008 [now an ACT].Its Press Note of 02
April,2008 has been published by most newspapers on 03 April, 2008. The effects
of "damage control" by politicians of all shades in response to a GBA letter
addressed to the Chief Minister, delivered to the CM, Leader of Opposition,
Speaker and Governor of Goa on 27 May, 2008, can be seen in the newspapers of
29 May, 2008. As far as the Opposition's protest of the Goa TCP [Amendment]
Act, 2008 is concerned, it can be seen in its deafening silence!
When the Leader of the Opposition was reportedly given a copy of the CSJP's
letter on the same issue, i.e. amendment of Section 16 and 16 A of the TCP Act,
1974 by the GOA TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING [AMENDMENT] BILL, 2008, the CSJP
representative was allegedly told by Manohar Parrikar that 1. they were given
the Bill only 48 hours in advance and 2. the BJP did not have the NUMBERS to
defeat the Bill on the floor of the house. [This may be confirmed from the CSJP
office, Institute Piedade Bldg, near Mandovi Hotel, Panaji].
If one has a feeling of deja vu, then blame it on its regular recurrence. Even
the then lone Goa Congress MLA of Navelim Luizinho Faleiro and the then lone
Independent MLA of Margao Adv. Uday Bhembre, had similar reasons for walking
out of the Goa,Damn & Diu Legislative Assembly on 04 February, 1987, allowing
Marathi to be used for all official purposes BUT not Konkani in Roman script!
The moot question is: WHAT PREVENTED THESE WORTHIES FROM DEBATING THE ISSUE TO
EXPOSE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY? At least the OPPOSITION would be on record
....if they truly REPRESENTED us in the Assembly.
Let me pose a question to the BJP spokespersons [We will use the term
"Spokesmen" when they prove their ability to testify to the Truth]:
1. In the six days of the Assembly sittings in March, 2008, the speeches of
all the BJP MLAs put together utilised:
a]60% of the talk time of the House.
b]50% of the talk time of the House.
c]40% of the talk time of the House.
d]30% of the talk time of the House.
e]20% of the talk time of the House.
f]Less than 20% of the talk time of the House.
2. Is the BJP willing and able to move a Bill to repeal the
a] GOA TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING [AMENDMENT] ACT, 2008. [Notified in the
Official Gazette of 13 May, 2008]
b]"Goa [Regulation of] Land Development and Building Construction, Act, 2008.
c]The Goa Preservation of Trees [Amendment] Bill, 2008.
d] Any other anti-People Bill or Act passed by the Digamber-led government???
Otherwise, it may be better that Laxmikant Parsekar devote his time to running
his institution in Harmal, rather than making statements to try and gain public
sympathy. It fools no one.
If Tariq Ahmed Battlo's acquittal is a Home Ministry failure, one wonders who
failed in the aquittal of the alleged rioters from Sanvordem-Curchorem of March
2006, just BEFORE the arrest of Battlo? Or of the Fontainhas vandal of 18 June,
2004? Or the non-prsecution of those who vandalised the "Hotel Mandarin" in
Mapusa?
Mog asundi.
Miguel
BJP flays Govt for reducing span of monsoon session
BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 11 - The BJP has criticised the Kamat-led Government for reducing
the span of the monsoon session that begins on August 18.
The BJP believes that the Government wants a short session because it is not in
a position to face the attack of the Opposition in the House.
The State BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Parsekar told a press conference on Friday
here that the main reason for short session is that the Government wants to
cover up its failures. It failed to control communal tension in Margao and
elephant menace et al. While elephants have been playing havoc and destroying
paddy fields, the Government efforts have not been of much help, nor has any
compensation been paid to the affected people.
Parsekar also attributed the acquittal of suspected terrorist Tariq Ahmad
Battlo on failure of the Home Ministry. It looks like Home Department has
become ill, and has stopped functioning, he said.
He further said, Government has not kept its assurance that monsoon session
would be long. He said, effectively, monsoon session will be of just eight days
if one deducts two days of private members’ bill and Saturday Sundays.
By keeping the span of the session short, the Government has been setting a
wrong trend, he said.
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