MATHANY: GOANS ARE SEEKING SPECIAL STATUS UNDER ARTICLE 371
Wednesday - Aug 17, 2011
PANJIM: Mathany Saldanha, former MLA, and Convener of Goa’s Movement for
Special Status (GMFSS) while welcoming Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s demand
with the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram for special status, for Goa, has
stated that what the people of Goa are demanding is not financial package as
made to appear by the Chief Minister. GMFSS wants to make it very clear, that
the people of Goa are seeking Special status provisions under Article 371 of
the Constitution of India, to will safeguard the land rights, culture and
economic well being of the Goans
In a press release issued here Mathany has said that the financial requirements
of the State can well be met if the Centre ensures that the money stashed by
Goan politicians in foreign banks is returned to the State, and those who are
carrying on illegal mining are made to pay back the money to the Government.
He has also pointed out that since Goa was not represented in the Constituent
Assembly, its needs and aspirations were not considered by the founding fathers
of the country’s Constitution and the reason being that Goa was under the
Portuguese regime and not the British.
He has also stated that the true fruits of liberation have not been accrued to
the Goan population as reflected in the employment scenario in the State.
Though many industries have been set up in Goa, the local youth do not find
employment as 80% of the work force is taken over by the migrants, who are
straining the demographic map of the State.
GMFSS has pointed out that the Countries first Prime Minister, Late Jawaharlal
Nehru, had promised Special Status at the time of military intervention that
liberated Goa, with the support of freedom fighters and further his grand
daughter-in-law promised the same, during campaign for the last Lok Sabha
elections. – HD
