the goan I network
MARGAO
Faleiro also demanded that the government knock the doors of the Supreme Court with a review petition to present Goa’s case.
Faleiro made these observations when beleaguered bar and liquor outlet owners called on him at his residence on Monday morning. Congress leader and Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar, who was present at Faleiro’s residence, said the government should act fast to protect the livelihood of the bar owners as well as the tourism industry.
Faleiro later told the media that many an eyebrow has been raised since the legal counsel representing the Union government led by the BJP filed no objection to the Supreme Court order on the ban. That’s not all. He said that all the BJP-ruled states in the country, including the Goa government, did not file any petition in the SC to protect the interests of the bar and liquor outlet owners. “What does this show when it is the national and state policy of the BJP supporting prohibition. These are the same people with double faces,” he said,.
Asserting that prohibition falls within the concurrent list of the Constitution, Faleiro said the Goa government should immediately issue an ordinance to protect the interest of Goa liquor industry even though it may mean that overriding the central Act. “Let the government immediately bring out an Ordinance. Let someone challenge the Ordinance in the Supreme Court,” Faleiro added. Saying that Goa is a major tourist destination, the Congress president called upon the people of Goa to come on the streets, saying this issue centers around people’s livelihood and the very survival of Goem, Goemkar and Goemkarponn.
Taking potshots at the BJP-led government for sleeping over the SC order, Faleiro appealed to the government to stop the divide and rule policy. “The government must stop dividing the bar owners and work out an universal solution. Our highways are not the highways in the true sense of the highways. In some cases, they are not even village roads,” he added.
