* * *Soter De souza wrote:*
* * *Fri Feb 12 23:32:30 PST 2010* *There seems to be a well orchestrated attempt to justify influx of migrants into Goa. Incidentally, most of the migrant journalists are controlling Goa's news and opinion. * Soterbab, People who wish to hide behind The constitution of India should tell the people the whole truth. The scholars who wrote the constitution of India did guarentee freedom of movement as well as settlement for Indian citizens under article 19 but then they also provided 19. 5 ( quoted below). Article 19.5 did forsee a situation wherein the inward migration could have detrimental effect on the general public in a particular state and under these circumstances, that state is allowed to make laws imposing reasonable restrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub-clauses i.e. (d) and (e). The problems created by migrants have been highlighted in the past and ultimately it is for the people of Goa to decide whether they should persuade the local politicians to enact such laws but to pretend that the constitution guarentees uncotrolled migration into any state of India is a myth. There is no doubt at all that maladministration in some of our states is leading to migration to relatively prosperous states like Goa and Maharashtra. In the long run, this will have serious and even disastous consequences for these states and it is high time that independent minded senior lawyers looked at this provision in the constitution to stop uncontrolled migration wherein the migrants have to settle in shanty towns created for the benefit of vote bank politics. As to whether the 'Migrant Commissioner' of Goa Bachao is sympathetic to migrants because of political aspirations remains to be seen. I would not like to bet against it. * * *Article 19 Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.* (1) All citizens shall have the right - (d) to move freely throughout the territory of India; (e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and (5) Nothing in sub-clause (d) and (e) of the said clause shall affect the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes, or prevent the State from making any law imposing, reasonable restrictions on the exercise of any of the rights conferred by the said sub-clauses either in the interests of the general public or for the protection of the interests of any Schedule Tribe.*** * * *Anil Desai* * *
