MARGAO
The United Goans Democratic Party has said the Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill 2021, hastily passed in the Goa Assembly, must awaken all genuine Goans to condemn and reject it outright as its avowed objective is to bestow rights to encroachers to grab land from landlords, comunidades, the vast majority of beneficiaries being migrants residing in Goa for at least 30 years.
“What is revulsing is that it equates the encroachers, the section of people coming from outside the Ghats, with blue-blooded and true Goans”, pleaded the United Goans Democratic Party President, Dr Jorson Fernandes.
Saying this is sheer vote-bank politics Bill piloted by Taleigao-based Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate, aimed at granting ownership rights to migrants with 30 years domicile in Goa, Dr Jorson said “terming it as Bhumiputra itself is the biggest insult heaped on the peace-loving and civilised Goans as the word means son or daughter of the soil”.
He added: “The Government is now bestowing this honourable title on the encroachers with no roots in Goa at all and worse equate them with the civilised Goans. This smacks of sheer vote-bank politics as elections are due early next year. The politicians are aiming at these votes to consolidate their hold in the areas which are today mushrooming all over the State with the help of the same unethical politicians. This is a sinister design to finish the true sons of the soil, which will alter the socio-cultural ethos. As such, Goans must rise, oppose and fight tooth and nail”.
Dr Jorson said the new Bill is a clear opportunistic attempt to further cash on the migrant voters for the forthcoming elections in Goa. Besides, it runs contrary to the measures like NPR, CAA and NRC being introduced in other parts of India by the same ruling party and thus it is aimed to deny similar right to people who have resided there for several generations. “Thus it is difficult to understand the contradictory, arbitrary and confusing approach with all eyes solely on the forthcoming elections, reasoned out Dr Jorson.
