CANACONA
Stating that 78 houses on Agonda Comunidade land have been earmarked for demolition on April 18, Congress leader janardhan Bhandari has appealed to the government to spare the houses of the Bahujan and minority community in the village.
“Acting on a court order, the government has fixed April 18 for the demolition of 78 houses on Comunidade land in Agonda. This is a direct attack on the economically weaker Bahujan and Minority Samaj. This will be catastrophic and great injustice to the economically section of the society. I just appeal to the government not to demolish the houses of Bahujan and Minority Society of Goa,” stated Bhandari in a press note.
Bhandari claimed that in Canacona, most of the land belongs to the Comunidade and forest, with only a few private lands in the taluka.
“Canconkars have very few lands to build their houses, as most of the land where houses can be built by the Bahujan and minority people are unavailable due to CRZ setback, Highway setback and railway setback.”
“These economically backward people have no capacity to buy land at prime locations and build houses. The only option left to them is to build houses on Comunidade land as it available at cheaper price. They have not taken benefit of any government schemes and are using their own hard-earned money,” stated Bhandari.
Bhandari went on to blame office-bearers of a political party for illegally constructing houses on Comunidade land by encroaching on land using political clout.
“They have given these illegal houses/spaces for commercial use for hefty amounts. Why does the government hesitate to take action on these encroachments of the political party?”
“On the one side, a political party is constructing houses for the needy and on the other side, are planning to bulldoze houses already constructed by poor people of the Bahujan/minority community. What sort of justice is it?”
Bhandari appealed to Speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar and sarpanchas/panchas of various villages in Canacona to consider the cases of the poor Goan people on humanitarian grounds and to persuade the government to cancel the proposed demolition of the 78 houses.
“We also appeal to the fellow Canconkars not to remain mute spectators to this injustice, as tomorrow they too may be victims of such injustice. We request them to come forward and join their brethren to protect their houses,” Bhandari added.
