PANAJI: Resolving to continue its agitation for getting ‘Special Provision,’ and not ‘Special Status’ for Goa, to preserve and protect the unique identity of the state, the Goa’s Movement for Special Status (GMFSS) has stated that depriving Goa of the constitutional protection by way of special provision, under Article 371, could be gross violation of the United Nation’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, to which India is a signatory since 2012.
“The declaration affirms that indigenous people, in the exercise of their rights, should be free from discrimination of any kind,” the GMFSS maintained, adding that the special provision for Goa would protect the culture, history, heritage and land of Gawdas, Kunbis, Velips and Dhangars, who are the original settlers of Goa, from the outside forces, as also free these indigenous Goans from fear of being reduced to minority because of larger and rapid migration into the state.
It may be recalled that the state Bharatiya Janata Party and its government, as well as the national spokesperson of the party have given up on the issue of special status to Goa, maintaining that the central government is seriously considering withdrawing such status given to a number of Indian states.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, the founder member of GMFSS, Gurudas Kamat said that special provision and special status/ category are two different entities, with special provision being granted by amendment to the Constitution, while special status/ category granted by an executive order.
“The National Advisory Council meets and includes certain states in the special status/ category,” he observed, adding that as of today there are 11 states, which are there under special status/ category, including many North-Eastern states and Jammu & Kashmir.
“These states get additional finances, additional schemes, subsidies, loans, etc, and have to pay hardly anything to the central government,” Kamat stated, pointing out that Goa’s demand is not for such status or category, as it has no interest in financial packages, but for special provision under Article 371 to protect its unique identity as well as land.
“The state legislative assembly, during the tenure of Manohar Parrikar as the chief minister had unanimously passed a resolution to follow up the issue of special status for Goa with the Centre,” the GMFSS founder member recalled, adding that the government had also decided to constitute a team of legal experts to examine the legalities pertaining to this demand.
“A delegation including the GMFSS members was also supposed to interact with the central government, however, Parrikar withdrew from this exercise for reasons best known to him, further stating that someone needs to follow up the issue,” he mentioned, noting that if such a delegation is able to meet the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and make before him a 15-minute case presentation as regards special provision to Goa, then it could result in something.
Speaking further Kamat said that Parrikar had held a number of meetings to effect a new amendment to the local town and country planning law, as he wanted to stop outsiders from illegally buying lands in Goa, until the time Goa received Special Status.
“Now, if the present government has a will it can temporarily enact a stringent legislation against liberal sale of Goan land,” he suggest, quipping that the government has however given special status to local industry through the Investment Promotion Board, which freely gives away land to the developers.
On a parting note, Kamat said that unless there is constitutional protection for Goan identity, it is not possible to protect future generations of Goans.