MOVEMENT FOR SPECIAL STATUS FOR GOA----WAS IT ANOTHER CON THAT CAME UNSTUCK?
The short shrift given to the Bill seeking “Special Status” for the State of Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution by the collective wisdom of the Parliament of the Republic of India, that is Bharat which is a Union of States, underlines the half-baked, spirit-fuelled, knee-jerk idea proposed by another group of individual busy-bees going under the grandiose name of MSSG (Movement for Special Status for Goa) That the lone Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Goa had the good sense to withdraw the Bill was a saving grace rather than the Bill having to suffer the ignominy of a crushing defeat were it to be put to vote. The Bill obviously was ill-conceived given the fact that the State of Goa under Part XXI, TEMPORARY, TRANSITIONAL AND SPECIAL PROVISIONS under Article 371-I of the Constitution of India, Goa already has special provision granted in that “Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the Legislative Assembly of the State of Goa shall consist of not less than thirty members” That the Bill was piloted by none other than a Member of Parliament who continues to be Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Judiciary, reflects either adversely on the gullibility of the MP from Goa, or his Kautilyan intent to glad hand citizens of India, resident in the State of Goa as also the Legislature of Goa! It is all the more galling that the Standing Committee of Parliament on Law and Judiciary composed of some of the eminent bright men and women in the legal sphere could not dissuade or prevail upon its Chairman to abandon his mission of tilting at windmills! MSSG must now acclimatize to its self-inflicted, perhaps fatal injury and take into consideration the saner views expressed by two other former eminent Parliamentarians from the legal fraternity who have served with distinction in the national public life – one from South Goa who was the Minister of State for External Affairs, and the other from North Goa who was the Minister of State for Law, Judiciary and Company Affairs. On our part we would strongly suggest that the State of Goa utilize the legislative power conferred upon the State of Goa under: List II, State List under Article 246 of the Constitution gives exclusive power under Entry 18 to the State to make laws relating to “land, that is to say, right in or over land, land tenures including the relation of landlord and tenant, and collection of rents; transfer and alienation of agricultural land; land improvement; and agricultural loans; colonization” to without much further ado or without waiting for ‘Godot’ or without unreasonably waiting for “Manna” to rain down from Parliament on the State of Goa , pass laws to exercise its Constitutional prerogative to the State of Goa and to all citizens of India currently residing in the State of Goa to protect its interests. Other prerogatives under List II could be applied in Stages to achieve the welfare and prosperity of the people of Goa. We submit it is imperative and necessary as a measure of inter-generational equity and precaution to quickly embark on this legislative course of action. It is a decision that requires really brave men and women considering the fact that all political parties, notwithstanding the glib postures and platitudes mouthed by them, utterly depend and rely upon “demographic destabilization” of the Electorate in some form or other to get elected to political power. KOI HAI TAYYAR? HAI KISI MEIN HIMMAT AUR POLITICAL DUM? ( Sancho-Panzas and Mavericks excused. They must continue tilting at windmills)
