The question now is not when we got Liberation. We cannot live in the past; we have to look at the future. We have to see what we have achieved in 60 years of Liberation. What have we done? What has his government ruling the State for the last ten years done? What we have achieved is concrete jungles destroying the environment.
Apart from kicking up the controversy, the Prime Minister lauded Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and his team for Good Governance.
This sounded more of a poll bugle as the PM counted the achievements of the Pramod Sawant government. Maybe the PM was ill-informed and may have systematically ignored the failures of Sawant as Chief Minister in the handling of the COVID19 situation, the corruption in recruitment etc.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
He came, he saw, and he went…leaving Goans high and dry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit had nothing for Goa. and Goans, who were celebrating the 60th year of Liberation.
The PM paid his homage at the Martyr’s Memorial, Azad Maidan; he witnessed the FlyPast at Miramar beach and then participated in the celebration at Shyamapraad Mukherjee stadium Bambolim. The PM felicitated the Freedom Fighters, the Swayampurna Mitras, on occasion.
Thereafter, he continued his rhetoric of targetting the Nehru-Gandhi family, this time indirectly, though.
He claimed had Sardar Vallabhai Patel lived longer, Goa would not have to wait for 14 years for Liberation.
This is not the first time this is being said; he has made this statement several times, which the leaders have repeated in Goa.
The question now is not when we got Liberation. We cannot live in the past; we have to look at the future. We have to see what we have achieved in 60 years of Liberation. What have we done? What has his government ruling the State for the last ten years done? What we have achieved is concrete jungles destroying the environment.
Apart from kicking up the controversy, the Prime Minister lauded Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and his team for Good Governance.
This sounded more of a poll bugle as the PM counted the achievements of the Pramod Sawant government. Maybe the PM was ill-informed and may have systematically ignored the failures of Sawant as Chief Minister in the handling of the COVID19 situation, the corruption in recruitment etc.
He made mention of 100 p.c vaccination, 100 p.c Har Ghar Jal, 100 p.c ODF, toilets for girls in schools etc.
But sadly, none of these things has been achieved so far.
The Prime Minister made no mention of the Mining resumption, the Coal handling and the Mhadei diversion, all these issues which are dear to every Goan.
The Goans expected the Prime Minister, who was down in Goa on the eve of elections, to make some statement on the above issues but were left disappointed. Maybe the PM did not want to touch on the controversial topics a month before the elections.
In the wake of the COVID19-induced lockdowns, tourism slump and the mining stoppage, Goa has been going through a tough financial crisis. Goa’s total debts have risen to about ₹26,000 crores.
What Goans and maybe even CM Pramod Sawant expected was a financial package to the State.
Seven years ago, on January 12, 2021, Modi, who was fighting for the PM’s post then, had promised Goans that mining would be resumed and so also Special Status would be granted.
“Mining is very important for the economy of Goa. Infrastructure, human resource and the raw material is necessary for mining, but the raw material remained unutilized,” Modi said, assuring “the situation will change in the next few months… we will take care of the environment and bring transparency in the mining sector for the country’s growth”.
Promising Special Status to Goa under Article 371 of Constitution if BJP came to power at the Centre, Modi hadsaid, “I was impressed and overwhelmed that people are demanding Special Status, not for money but to preserve the identity of Goa.”
“I would be proud if I could fulfil the wish of Goans”, he had said.
Almost eight years down the line, Modi has forgotten everything and the promises remain unfulfilled.
Comment