The Goa Assembly passed the Goa Bhumiputra Adhikarini Bill, 2021, which the government says will provide for a mechanism to give ownership rights to dwellers of small housing units to enable them to live with dignity, self-respect and to exercise their right to life.
Bhumiputra which means son of the soil was a term so far used to refer to tribals of Goa -- namely Gawda, Kunbi, Velip communities. But the bill will hurt the very fundamentals of Goa and its residents at large.
Those who have constructed houses illegally will be rewarded, while honest people in the state who have followed legal processes will be shunned.
This Bill is nothing but a systematic attempt to defeat rule of law. This law is unheard of anywhere in the world and this legislation gives license to grab properties.
Moreover word ‘Bhumiputra’ in the name of the bill will damage the identity and originality of the particular community in the state. Elections to the state Assembly are scheduled to be held in early 2022. This is a jumla which is being done by the BJP government aimed at the 2022 elections.
