PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) have slammed the government for passing the controversial Bills in the just-held Budget session of the legislative assembly without proper discussion. The AAP leaders even met Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai urging him to not grant assent to the Bills.
“We appeal to you to not grant assent to the contentious Bills, and refer them back to the Legislative Assembly for clause by clause examination by Select Committee,” reads a representation that a delegation of the party submitted to the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Monday.
The TMC too strongly criticized the government’s decision to pass the amendments, particularly to the Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 (Amendment Bill), 2023 while stating it stands in solidarity with the stakeholders opposing it.
AITC National Spokesperson Trajano D’Mello along with Goa TMC Spokespersons Peter Afonso and Jayesh Shetgaonkar demanded the Revenue Minister to place the amendments before the General Assembly of all the Comunidades under Article 652.
“Such draconian amendments were not thought of even by the Salazar regime. The amendments to the Comunidade Code are draconian as they would now allow the government to take control and replace democratically elected managing committees and replace them with their officers or the “Yes Man” by amending Article 70,” he lamented.
He demanded that the BJP government should not forward the Bill for Governor’s assent before placing it before the General Assembly of all the Comunidades. “The government should reconsider amendments and work with stakeholders to find a solution that protects the Comunidade and its constituents,” he said.
Whereas the AAP leaders recalled the Bhumiputra Bill, which was forcibly passed by the government and had to be revoked after a public backlash. “….former Governor SatyaPal Malik had stated that “There was corruption in everything the Goa government did.” We appeal to you (Governor Pillai) to preserve, protect and defend the constitution and the law…..by arresting the degradation in the functioning of the Legislative Assembly,” the representation signed by AAP leaders led by its President Amit Palekar and Working President Venzy Veigas read as.
The party has also sought proper functioning of the House where the Bills are also debated at length.
