Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday remarked that there was no space for the voice, culture or identity of Goa in the ruling BJP’s ideology, and accused the government of destroying the State’s environment with its “dubious” enterprises to facilitate the transportation of coal through the State.
Ms. Vadra, who addressed a number of public rallies ahead of the February 14 Assembly elections, said the polls were significant not just for political parties but for the future of Goa too.
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Targeting three projects of the government - highway expansion, double tracking of railway lines and the erection of electricity lines – meant to transport coal from one State to the other through Goa, she stated that these projects did not have “a single Goan beneficiary.”
“This government is taking coal which is not mined in Goa, not sold in Goa but going through Goa to other States. For that, the BJP is destroying Goa’s natural habitat,” she alleged.
She asserted that if the Congress came to power, ₹500 crore from the government fund would be allocated for employment generation and there would be 30% reservation for women in government jobs. A staff selection commission would be formed to get rid of “scams” in the allocation of government jobs.
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When the BJP talked of ruling Goa, it meant imposing an “outside culture” and alien ideas on Goan people. “Indira Gandhi never imposed anything on Goa…The [1967] referendum is such an example. At the time, every Goan was asked whether he or she wanted to be a part of Maharashtra, or wanted a State of their own. That is how democracy works. This matters more so in smaller States like Goa whose culture is different from that of other States,” she said.
‘Outside parties’
Exhorting Goans not to split votes by exercising their franchise in favour of outside parties, she claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress were incapable of giving the State a stable government. “They have come from outside to expand their party bases and not to help Goa progress. These parties that have come to destabilise Goa cannot run the State. Only the Congress can give Goa a stable government,” she said.
Despite Goa being rich in natural beauty, resources and having a highly literate populace, it had the second highest in unemployment in the country, she noted.
“This [BJP] government should have an explanation as to why so many small and businesses in Goa are on the verge of shutting down. There has been a 24% rise in crime against women in Goa… the BJP government is only working to cling on to power,” she added.
