Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Samvidhan Jagran Manch has called on the Goa Government to move beyond statements and take concrete action on four issues raised during the ongoing Assembly session.
The organisation, in a press statement, demanded a fixed timeline for introducing the proposed Anti-Conversion Bill, greater transparency over No Development Area (NDA) conversions, direct engagement with the Marathi Rajbhasha Nirdhar Samiti and the institutionalisation of the six-stanza rendition of Vande Mataram during Assembly sessions.
On the Anti-Conversion Bill, the organisation expressed concern over the confirmation by ruling MLAs that the legislation would not be introduced during the current session. It argued that religious freedom under Article 25 of the Constitution must be protected from conversions allegedly obtained through fraud, inducement or coercion.
The group urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the ruling party to explain the reasons for the continued delay and publicly announce a definite timeline for bringing the Bill before the Assembly.
On No Development Areas, Samvidhan Jagran Manch questioned the decision to disallow starred questions seeking village-wise details of NDA conversions over the past three years. The organisation said land-use classifications have a direct bearing on the environment, livelihoods and property interests of citizens.
It demanded that the Speaker and the Government make the complete village-wise NDA data available. The organisation also said it would seek the information through Right to Information applications if the details were not placed before the House.
The group also raised the issue of Marathi being accorded official status in Goa. Referring to the recent agitation at the Old Mandovi Bridge, it said the Government should engage directly with the Marathi Rajbhasha Nirdhar Samiti.
Samvidhan Jagran Manch called on the Chief Minister to grant the committee a meeting and bring a considered resolution on the issue before the Assembly.
Meanwhile, the organisation welcomed the Assembly beginning its current session with all six stanzas of Vande Mataram. It urged the Government to make the practice permanent for all future Assembly sessions and consider extending it to schools and other State institutions.
The organisation’s key demands include a publicly announced timeline for the Anti-Conversion Bill, reversal of the disallowance of the NDA-related questions and publication of village-wise data, a meeting with the Marathi Rajbhasha Nirdhar Samiti followed by a resolution in the Assembly, and permanent adoption of the six-stanza Vande Mataram for future Assembly sessions.
