POLL-VAULT ON GOAN SOIL
* Not going to be pressurised or blackmailed
* Win or lose, tickets only for dedicated Congressmen
* Preparing to contest all 40 seats in the State
* Welcome those who wish to come along with Congress
* But they will have to contest on Congress symbol
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ON DEMONETISATION
* Most unwise, ill-prepared decision any government could take
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Speaking at Congress House, All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge of Goa Digvijaya Singh stated, “We aren’t going to be pressurized or blackmailed. Whether we lose or win, we want dedicated Congressmen on our tickets. We are preparing to contest all 40 seats. We welcome all those who wish to come along with Congress but they will have to contest on Congress symbol.”
Party insiders said that the statement rules out a ‘grand alliance’ once and for all. They, however, opined that opening arms to like-minded individuals at a stage when the party’s much-publicised candidate selection procedure is on its last lap could have predictable repercussions from within the lower organization rungs.
Meanwhile, Singh also criticized the policy of demonetization as a ‘blunder in governance’ and ‘the most unwise, ill-prepared decision any government could take’.
Singh also alleged this to be a scam wherein advance notices were forwarded to a select few by the ruling party.
“Remittances shot up suddenly this year. Since September, bank deposits showed a sudden rise. Four private directors of the RBI were in the know of the decision. The reasons offered by the BJP for this blunder fall flat in the face of this economic anarchy,” he said hinting that the ruling party could have selectively safeguarded its own from the backlash of its policy.
Singh further said that incidents over the last two weeks have shown that demonetization alone cannot single-handedly resolve the deep-rooted ills of terror funding, counterfeiting, black money and corruption.
“These things have to be regularly looked into. Official figures show, for instance, that out of Rs 19 lakh crore, counterfeit currency will be around Rs 400 crore. This is a miniscule amount to necessitate such a huge overhaul,” he stated.
Congress pointed out that the hardship inflicted upon the majority of Indians could have been avoided if adequate amount of lower denomination were made available through ATMs at the time of making the big announcement.
National Students Union of India, Youth Congress and Congress partymen on Wednesday evening held a protest march near Raj Bhavan at Dona Paula against the demonetization policy. It was announced that a mass contact programme in the form of a ‘padyatra’ will be organized across Goa from November 27 to December 12.
Singh also said that the opening of Outline Development plans of P-anaji, Margao and Mapusa and the proposal to increase the FAR from two to three is being pushed for by certain middlemen including an urban planner and a close aid of an MLA.
Goa Pradesh Congress President Luizinho Faleiro, Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane, AICC minority department vice chairman Anil Thomas were among those present.
