Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Goa’s traditional landholding bodies the Communidades have stepped up their opposition to the State government’s contentious amendment aimed at regularising illegal encroachments on Communidade lands.
Representatives from Communidades across North Goa (Bardez), South Goa (Salcete) and Central Goa (Tiswadi) gathered in Panaji on Thursday to chalk out a strategy to resist the bill passed by the Legislative Assembly. Members held placards bearing the names of their villages — including Morombim o Grande, Taleigao, Goltim, Assagao, Jua, Borim, and Pilerne-Nauilim — in a show of unity against what they described as an attempt to legitimise unauthorised occupation of their ancestral properties.
Carambolim Communidade president and MLA Venzy Viegas announced that a delegation will soon call on Goa Governor P. S. Sreedharan Pillai (Pashupati Raju) to urge him to withhold assent to the bill. “The legislation has inherent illegalities. It erodes the very fabric of Communidade land ownership and rewards lawbreakers,” Viegas said.
As part of their action plan, Communidade leaders have also scheduled a “Monsoon Fellowship” on August 24 at XCHR, Porvorim. Managing committees from all Communidades will attend the event to submit resolutions opposing the bill and to chalk out the next phase of the agitation.
The protest strategy will include public outreach, legal measures, and if necessary, state-wide demonstrations to press for withdrawal of the amendment. Leaders have vowed to protect Communidade land from what they see as a government-backed attempt to “regularise illegality at the cost of heritage and justice.”
