MARGAO
Asserting that the growing migrant vote will not distract the Goa Forward from taking decisions to protect Goemkars and Goemkarponn, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai has said the time has come for all Goans to join hands and protect their land, people and culture so that Goa does not meet the same fate like the East Indians faced in Mumbai.
He also stressed on the need to undertake an academic research to find out how the 15 lakh Goan population is benefitted from the 65 lakh tourists visiting the State, saying the ensuing Opinion Poll is not just about identity, but empowerment of Goans in all fields of activity.
Addressing the media to announce Goa Forward party's meeting "Asmitai Zagor" at the Lohia Maidan, Margao on January 16 at 4 pm to commemorate the historic Opinion Poll day, the Goa Forward party supremo further said the Goa Forward will not just be content with the naming of Colva Circle-Ravindra Bhavan as Opinion Poll Square, but will ensure that the statue of the Father of the Opinion Poll Jack Sequeira is installed in the Goa Assembly complex before the Opinion Poll day next year. "We believe that Opinion Poll does not only represent identity, but should be a means of empowerment of the sons of the soil. And, the Goa Forward will ensure that this empowerment will be part of the State policy," he said.
Saying that there's an urgent need of a study to find out how the sons of the soil are benefitted by tourism, with 65 lakh tourists visiting the State every year, Sardesai promised that the coalition government will come out with a State policy to ensure that tourism benefits flows to the locals.
When asked whether the political parties in Goa are afraid in taking decisions to protect the interest of the sons of the soil given the huge migrant vote in every Assembly constituency, Sardesai shot back "We have brought Goemkarponn in politics. We have now ensured that only Goans will be entitled for the benefit of waiver of infrastructure tax. This is one of the measures contemplated in the State policy. At the same time, we are not against migrants, but we are all for empowering Goans," he said.
He urged the people of Goa to join the Goa Forward party's meeting at the Lohia Maidan on January 16.
Goa Forward spokesperson Trajano D'Mello lashed out at AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar for politicising the coconut price rise even when the government is weighing various options to ensure that the coconut is freely available in the State.
