The announcement in regards to the contesting of the 2017 elections was made by the party’s national secretary Pankaj Gupta in the press conference held in their city office. He also alleged that the present government is working against the interest of common man (Aam Aadmi) to felicitate the private lobby.
Gupta was in Goa to supervise the series of meetings and to take the stock of party’s organizational functioning. He condemned the functioning of BJP led government in the state. He said that he is very confident that his party will win the 2017 election. “We are reaching out to the grassroots through the means of public meetings. We are also meeting the aspiring candidates across Goa,” he said. According to him, the final decision in this regards will be taken only in the month of March 2016.
Pankaj Gupta and local AAP spokesperson Valmiki Naik lashed down on the functioning of the BJP-led government in the state. “The ruling government is not bothered about the people of the state. The common man is not happy with the performance of BJP led government, especially on the environment front. We receive the feedback from the people that government is not concerned with the needs of Goans,” said Gupta.
At the press conference, the AAP also alleged that BJP-led government is working against the interest of people which led to threatening the very icons of Goan identity without any vision for sustaining and promoting our indigenous tradition, occupation, and culture. They blamed the government of felicitating the land grabbing in the name of development in the state which is directly benefiting only the private lobbies at the cost of our ecology system. The case of a regional plan that shows how, both congress and BJP worked against the interest of people of Goa by curbing the powers of Goan people.
HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT POINTS PUT ACROSS BY THE AAP
- In 2008, amendments were made to Section 16/16A of the TCP Act, the Congress government gave itself unusual exemptions from the provisions of the Regional Plan.
- In 2012, after making grand promises before elections, the BJP govt made a u-turn, holding the RP-2021 in abeyance and ignoring the people’s demand to complete the process of ensuring village-level approval fo the RP-2021 to their satisfaction.
- In 2014, even as the then CM Mr. Manohar Parrikar kept on delaying any progress on the people’s demand, he created the most draconian institution in the form of the Investment Promotion Board, which illegally and unconstitutionally usurps powers of Panchayats, TCP, PDAs etc and overrides any and all applicable laws governing land-use such as Regional Plan, ODPs, Building codes, Land revenue codes etc.
- In 2015, the BJP govt passed an Ordinance to allow eco-tourism projects in protected eco-sensitive zones, without proper guidelines or details. What was the unusual hurry that an Ordinance had to be passed? This has now been made into law in the recent winter session, which appears to have been a special winter session of destruction.
- In 2016-17, the Govt appears to have committed to complete the destruction of Goa by announcing the Private Forests bill, and also by proposing to grant amnesty to those who participate in the destruction by bringing in the Regularization of Illegal Structures bill. Pending such a bill, the less-affluent aam aadmi such as traditional fishermen continue to be ousted from homes they have occupied for decades.
HERE IS THE ULTIMATUM BY AAP TO GOVERNMENT
1) AAP Goa completely rejects the farcical process and illogical deadlines given by the BJP Govt with regards to the recent opening of the Notified RP-2021 plan for “suggestions”, even though this notified plan was already rejected by the people. AAP Goa demands to know, why, after sleeping on the issue for 4 years, the Govt is in a tearing hurry to make such sweeping changes in land-use regulations?
2) AAP demands that the Govt continue to keep the Notified RP-2021 in abeyance while maintaining the sanctity of eco-sensitive zones, FAR policies & VP categorizations mentioned in its own order dated 4/6/2012, and immediately re-start a transparent and time-bound process of village-level participation by re-sending the DRAFT REGIONAL PLAN 2021 back to the Village Development Committees for finalization with clear guidelines & feedback processes. Prior to this, the Govt must immediately amend the TCP Act to give this public participation process a legal mandate for strict implementation so that the entire exercise does not end up being a mere eyewash to fool the people.
3) AAP Goa concurs with the people’s demand of “ONE GOA ONE PLAN”, and demands that all areas need to be included in the RP, whether ODPs, IPB notified areas or any other areas.
4) AAP Goa demands that the BJP govt immediately amends the Goa Investment Promotion Act and remove the illegal and draconian powers given to the IPB. In the guise of single-window clearances to help in boosting the economy and creating jobs, the BJP should stop fooling the people and making a mockery of the laws of the land.
The above points may also contain in their (AAP) election manifesto of 2017 since many points have the valid substance in it. The BJP-led government may need to provide the satisfactory explanations to the people of Goa on this. It is normally observed that when the government forgets to keep the interest of common man (Aam Aadmi) in their mind, the people overturns the governments. The same may happen in the 2017 polls, if, government do not wake up to the call of common man. Please do leave your valuable comments and suggestions on this issue.
Source: AAP Press Conference
