PANAJI
The Congress is reaching out to other Opposition parties in Parliament to secure support for the Constitutional Amendment Bill 2025, which aims to safeguard Goa’s land, rivers, and identity, South Goa MP, Viriato Fernandes said on Saturday.
The bill, already introduced in Parliament, proposes the creation of a Goa Sustainable Development Board by amending Article 371(I) of the Constitution, Fernandes said while speaking at a press conference at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, where he was accompanied by GPCC president, Amit Patkar and AICC Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakre.
He said, discussions are underway with several Opposition parties to ensure the bill’s passage.
“We are building consensus. Goa’s future must be protected, and this board’s decisions will be binding on any State government in power,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes accused the BJP’s “double engine” government -- 12 years at the Centre and 14 years in the State -- of causing large-scale damage to Goa.
He alleged that six rivers were taken out of State control through nationalization, while the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) was renamed Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) to facilitate coal handling.
“The Centre is trying to grab Goa’s lands, mountains, agriculture, and tribal areas. This bill is our attempt to reclaim them,” he said.
The amendment seeks to strengthen Article 371(I) by adding new provisions under 371(I)(A), giving Goa constitutional guarantees to preserve its territory and identity.
The proposed Sustainable Development Board would oversee land use, environmental protection, and cultural preservation.
The bill was introduced in Parliament on December 5 last, and is expected to be taken up for debate in both Houses soon.
Fernandes emphasized that the Congress is working to ensure broad-based support.
This is not about party politics. It is about protecting Goa’s heritage and resources,” he said.
Goa Congress in-charge Manikrao Thakre and state president Amit Patkar also addressed the press where the former accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in Goa of deliberately ignoring the State’s problems.
Patkar echoed concerns about unchecked development and environmental degradation.
The Congress leaders stressed that constitutional safeguards are necessary to prevent further exploitation of the State’s natural resources. They positioned the amendment as a long-term solution to protect Goa’s fragile environment and cultural identity.
The press conference underscored the party’s strategy to rally Opposition support and present itself as the defender of Goa’s interests, ahead of the crucial Goa assembly elections slated for early 2027.
