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ASSEMBLY SCENE
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OPPN LEADER IN ACTION
* Pratapsing Rane says he sent a resolution demanding death penalty for drug peddlers
* The opposition leader foresees 'Udta 'Goa' similarly like Bollywood flick 'Udta Punjab'
* Certain foreign community may be blamed for drugs but the consumers are local, he says
* People are growing banana trees and in-between they grow opium, says opposition leader
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Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane warned that Goa could soon become ‘Udta Goa’ if the problem of drug addiction among youth and the easy availability of drugs isn’t resolved soon.
Speaking during the general discussion on the budget, Rane was in full flow as he took on the government on a range of issues.
“I had sent a resolution demanding death penalty for drug peddlers because they destroy lives. We have all heard of Udta Punjab, but soon we may have Udta Goa. We blame a certain foreign community for drugs in Goa, but the consumers are local. Many people have to be deported as they come here on student visas but do everything but study,” Rane who was the first to speak during the general discussion on the budget.
He also hinted that opium was being grown in areas around Goa saying that “People are growing banana trees and in-between they grow opium.”
Rane also took the government on for a whole range of issues including the failure of the government to resolve the MoI issue even after four and a half years, failure to incentivize agriculture the ingress of mangroves into agricultural fields, etc.
Speaking during the discussion, Valpoi MLA challenged the government claims on the health front arguing that the public health sector has deteriorated and is failing the people of Goa.
“People are disillusioned with the service at GMC… There are good doctors in place but they do not have the support. There is a need to have a medical audit,” Rane said.
He also said how the quality of service at the GMC as well as that of the 108 ambulance service has fallen due to government apathy.
“The 108 service has been totally destroyed by the present government...People are being hired from Bihar, UP, MP, etc, who do not know how to read ECGs while boys who the Congress government spent money on to train have been relieved… There are nurses who refuse to touch (nurse) patients. (Instead) they ask relatives to… get private hand to look after him (patient) by paying Rs 500. They say their job is only to administer medicine,” Vishwajit said.
Naresh Sawal questioned the BJP’s double standards while in the opposition and now as a ruling government on the issue of casinos, the mining scam, etc. While legislators Michael Lobo and Siddharth Kuncalienkar defended the government.
Others who spoke during the discussion included Francisco “Mickky” Pacheco, Naresh Sawal, Subhash Phaldesai, Michael Lobo and others.
