PANAJI
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Thursday avoided a question on special status and instead pointed to the upcoming Zuari bridge, which he says is the “real special status” Goa has got.
When asked if the BJP government or the party would for one last time ask Prime Minister for special status for Goa, which was one of the party’s pre-poll promises, Parsekar said the Zuari bridge was being built keeping the State’s “speciality” in mind.
“See the Zuari bridge from Agassaim to Cortalim... Now we are building a new bridge -- from guess where? Siridao to Verna. How many villages are there along this route? The bridge will keep all those villages safe bypassing them, because we have a special regard for the speciality of these villages,” Parsekar said.
Going a step further Parsekar pointed that Goa was given an opportunity to host BRICS as well as that a Goan was “handpicked” to be the country’s Defence Minister.
“Since BJP is in power with a full majority for the first time. Goa has got many special things. Did I go to Delhi to beg for BRICS? We didn’t even ask for it. Is it because of BJP or Goa is governed by BJP? It is because the State is looked at favourably by those at the Centre,” Parsekar said.
When asked whether the party would disregard MLAs who had won elections by demanding special status, Parsekar said: “Each one has his own view.”
The government had promised and the Goa Legislative Assembly even passed a resolution that Goa be granted special status with then chief minister Manohar Parrikar even insisting that it wasn’t money they were seeking but a protection against buying of land by outsiders and other restrictions in favour of local residents. However, the demand found no favour with the Centre.
