CM urges Goans to refrain from selling land to outsiders

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-06-19
PANAJI- Stating that the government, in collaboration with various freedom fighters associations as well as like-minded NGOs, would play an active role in organising different programmes to commemorate the ongoing birth centenary year of the socialist leader, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat said that an under construction hall at the old secretariat building dedicated to the region’s Liberation struggle, would have a special section in honour of Dr Lohia.
The government is currently renovating the historic building into a centre for art and culture,” he informed, adding that the government, based on the public suggestions, has decided to set up a hall in the centre, displaying Goa’s fight against the colonial rule through pictures, including portraits.
Addressing the gathering of politicians, bureaucrats, freedom fighters and citizens, in the presence of the Governor, Dr S S Sidhu, during the state Revolution Day, at Azad Maidan on Thursday, the Chief Minister appealed to all those people, in possession of various items including rare pictures of Dr Lohia during his visit to Goa in 1946 and personal belongings of the socialist leader, to hand over the same to the government, so that they could be displayed at the centre.
Speaking further, Mr Kamat lamented that people in Goa were adopting attacking stand on each and every issue.
He also urged that every Goan should start the work of preservation of the Goan identity from him or her, and refrain from selling the land and property to the outsiders.
One cannot sell his land and property to the foreigners and speak about protecting the Goan identity, at the same time,” he maintained.
The Governor, in his speech said that Goa is a unique state, but this should not make Goans complacent.
The state also needs an inclusive growth, as it is the key to everything,” he pointed out.
The president of the Goa, Daman and Diu Freedom Fighters Association, Mr Nagesh Karmali, in his speech said that Goa should maintain relations with Portugal, just like with any other country. “However, Portugal should not be provided with any special status just because it had once ruled Goa,” he added.
The GDDFFA chief alleged that a team of the Portuguese television channel - RTP is constantly visiting Goa and seeking opinion from the rural public as to whether Goa was better placed during the Portuguese rule or not.
The president of the Goa Freedom Fighters Association, Mr Chandrakant Kenkre, speaking on the occasion said that the state government loses much of its time in making efforts to stay in power, and hence has no time for planning the development.
He also appealed to the government to solve the problem faced by those in government service under the Pre-Employment Training Scheme, by issuing a notification similar to the one that saved Hotel Cidade de Goa from demolition.
The Governor and the Chief Minister felicitated 36 freedom fighters, nearly half of them posthumously, on the occasion. Later they laid a wreath at the Martyrs Memorial at Azad Maidan, paying tributes to all known and unknown persons who made the supreme sacrifice for liberating Goa from the erstwhile Portuguese rule.
The city Mayor, Ms Carolina Po, the Minister for Transport, Mr Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, the South Goa MP, Mr Francisco Sardinha and the Development Commissioner, Mr Sanjay Srivastava were also present at the function.
PONDA: In the Revolution Day celebrations in Ponda on Thursday, the Ponda MLA and Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik said that the Portuguese targeted the weaker section of the society during their rule in Goa and therefore there was no development, but today, the Congress government has taken keen interesting in the all-round development of the state.
Mr Naik said this after placing a wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial at Kranti Maidan, Ponda.
He said the government has formulated various schemes for the benefit of the people of Goa, particularly for the weaker sections.
Speaking on the opposition to developmental projects he said,
Opposition should not be destructive in nature, but should be constructive.’’ He thanked the freedom fighters for fighting together to free Goa.
A freedom fighter, Mr Avdhuber Shinkre spoke on how they struggled for the freedom. He said the youth should protect the state from foreigners. The Priol MLA, Mr Deeepak Dhavlikar, Ponda councillors, and other officials were also present.