GOA’S
MOVEMENT FOR SPECIAL STATUS
3rd Floor, Despamonte Building, St. Inez
P.O. Box 242, Panaji – Goa.
Ph. No.: 7875240069 / 9403076416
Founder :- Late MATANHY SALDANHA
Date:- 16.04.2013
PRESS NOTE
Along with the people of Goa, Goa’s Movement for Special Status (GMFSS),
thanks Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for moving the resolution on Special
Status in the Assembly to regulate land use and preserve tiny Goa’s unique
identity. GMFSS also thanks all the MLAs who magnanimously transcended their
varying political affiliations to display exemplary unity in wholeheartedly
endorsing and unanimously passing this resolution that carries such special
significance for Goa and Goans. GMFSS is grateful to Mauvin Godinho, Vijai
Sardesai, Subhash Phaldesai, Nilesh Cabral, Kiran Kandolkar, Rohan Khaunte,
Mickey Pacheco, Glen Ticlo, Vishnu Wagh, Benjamin D’Silva, Caetano D’Silva,
Michael Lobo, Digambar Kamat, Alina Saldanha, Avertano Furtado, Dr. P.
Sawant, Sudin Dhavlikar, Francis D’Souza and the Chief Minister, all of whom
spoke so persuasively on the floor of the Assembly in favour of Special
Status.
All the MLAs will earn the undying gratitude and blessings of Goa’s future
generations, who will be the beneficiaries of this move which will help
Goans as a community to preserve their unique identity, culture, scarce land
resources and environment and ensure that the sons and daughters of the soil
can aspire to have a corner of land that they can call their own. For too
long now, there has been no impediment or road block to arrest the process
of Goa being sold to the highest bidder. This has culminated into the
present crisis wherein Goans are being brazenly elbowed out and marginalised
in their own homeland.
It is also heartening that the Chief Minister is leading an all party
delegation to New Delhi in order to lobby the case for Goa’s Special Status.
However, GMFSS cautions that although this is undoubtedly a significant
milestone in the state’s long journey to attain special status, the real
challenge still lies ahead in getting Special Status for Goa passed in
Parliament. Goans now look forward to all out efforts from their MLAs,
especially those hailing from the major national parties, in successfully
convincing their counterparts in Delhi to support us in realising this long
cherished dream. GMFSS assures them that they will enjoy the unstinting
support and backing of the people of Goa in this worthy endeavour.
GMFSS also appeals to the Chief Minister to urgently move and put in place
much needed, relevant processes in the administration to ensure that there
will actually be something of the state still left to preserve and keep for
our future generations until the day when Special Status becomes a wonderful
reality for Goa and Goans. When this moment finally arrives, it will be a
fitting tribute by Goans to Matanhy Saldanha, the visionary and founder of
GMFSS, who first created awareness amongst the people of Goa of the need for
Special Status and who spent all his life struggling so selflessly to
safeguard the interests of his homeland and his people.
In the meantime, GMFSS informs the public that it will start public meetings
in the South Taluka to be held during May 2013, to conscientise, sensitise
and inform locals about the urgent need to push for the Special Status for
Goa. The first of these meetings will be held at Panchayat Ground in Carmona
on Saturday, May 4th, 2013 at 3 p.m. followed by another at Dando Grounds in
Benaulim at 5.30 p.m. on the same day. GMFSS requests the people of the
respective villages in the South Taluka to take these meetings very
seriously and ensure 100% attendance in order to send a strong message both
to the Central as well as the State governments that the people of Goa are
very serious about their demand for a Special Status for Goa under Article
371 of the Constitution of India in order to conserve and preserve Goa’s
scarce land resources, its enviroment and its unique identity.
sd/-
sd/-
Prajal Sakhardande
John Lobo
(President, GMFSS)
(Gen. Secretary, GMFSS)
