PANAJI
After months of sitting on the fence over the issue of Special Status, Congress on Tuesday announced that if elected to power the party will fight to secure ‘special category status’ for Goa in order to strengthen the State’s financial condition.
Speaking in Panaji, GPCC President Luizinho Falerio stated, “If Congress is elected to form the government in 2017, I will create awareness and I will ensure that Goa gets special category status as it is a popular aspiration and Congress will keep its solemn promise. Goa needs the special financial package as the financial status is in doldrums.”
He observed that the North Eastern states having SCS benefit from the 90 per cent central grants that they receive. Congress alleged that the BJP government has shamelessly betrayed Goans by going back on its poll promise. “Special Status was a solemn poll promise. In June 2013, the then CM Manohar Parrikar led an all-party delegation, of which the present CM Laxmikant Parsekar was a part, and made a representation to the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and on April 15, 2013, Parrikar passed a resolution in the Goa Assembly demanding Special Status under Article 371 of the Constitution of India,” recalled Faleiro.
He also listed the assurance by the then BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi at his campaign rally in 2014 where he stated that if a special proposal for special status comes from Goa, he would be happy to consider it.
“The BJP, which is in power at the Centre and at the State level, should have the magnanimity to apologize to Goans or resign,” the GPCC president chided.
Meanwhile, Congress also voiced its support for the 21-day ultimatum served by the Goa Government Employees’ Association for implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations
in Goa.
Faleiro, who had raised the issue previously, said, “If Congress comes to power in Goa, all payments will be made from January 1, 2016 in one stroke.”
Also, taking potshots at the government over the delay in formulation of a shack policy for the season, Congress said that the government is allowing organizers of EDM festivals to run away without paying their dues whereas the shack owners, taxi drivers and other sons of the soil are made to beg for licenses.
