NAVHIND TIMES NETWORK PANAJI Dr Oscar Rebello, the convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyaan, along with two other functionaries (Ms Patricia Pinto and Ms Ritu Prasad) on Friday quit from their posts following differences with other functionaries of the GBA over some issues, including giving suggestions as regards to bottom up process in preparation of the plan.
Following their resignations from the posts in GBA, all three would cease to be the members of the task force appointed by the government to prepare the regional plan 2021 as they were the nominees of the GBA and that their resignations could have wide ranging repercussions in the completion of the RP 2021 within stipulated time frame. Dr Rebello told The Navhind Times in an exclusive interview that he and his colleagues who were working with the task force preferred to resign as they could not articulate the agenda of certain force within the GBA with regards to 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution. I thought that it would be wise to let someone else to carry forward their views and put it before the task force, he said. He said that many issues were involved in the preparation of the regional plan and environment was not the only issue there in. He went on to add that while preparing the plan many issues, including socio-economic and developmental, have to be taken into consideration before arriving at any decision and then move forward. He said the task Force was waiting for the recommendations of the GBA as regards to their concept on the implementation of 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution to carry forward the process of finalising the RP-2021. He sad that views put forward by him were not acceptable to some in the GBA not did they suggest alternatives as such the plan was held up. Denying that he ever had any dream of stepping into electoral politics, Dr Rebello also said that perhaps some people in GBA felt that he was getting too much publicity, which they thought could be used by him in starting his political career, and perhaps wanted to prevent him from getting any further publicity, as such their opposition to his ideas as regards to regional plan. He said that opposition to him and others of the GBA on the task force was brewing for sometime over the concept of 73rd and 74th and reached a boiling point when some members of the GBA personally abused us on the Internet prompting us to quit our posts. He further said that there was serious division of opinion among the GBA members and that the same has reached a point where there could not be reconciliation. Replying to a question on whether Goa agenda would be affected following the resignations of three core members of the GBA, he said that Goa agenda would never fail as he has faith in Goans, who he said would fight and get what was their due. He also said that failure to make suggestions as regards to 73rd and 74th amendments was a collective failure. Asked how Goa agenda would be carried forward, he replied that every Goan must respect the rules and laws in letter and spirit and if that were followed everything would fall in line automatically. He went on to add that whenever there was a conflict between people and administration, the government must play the role of an honest broker to diffuse the situation and resolve the matter. He further said that if government starts playing dirty then automatically the issues would never get resolved.