Panaji: Days after the legislative assembly ’s monsoon session ended, differences within BJP govt exploded out into the open, with ministers from the Pramod Sawant cabinet crossing swords over the withdrawal of some controversial bills , as well as the decision to send some to a select committee for review. The differences began brewing eight days ago, when town and country planning minister Vishwajit Rane withdrew the Goa Town and Country Planning (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2024. The bill, which was introduced in the assembly, aimed “to protect the TCP against judicial scrutiny of land conversions under the ODPs and take powers of planning and development authorities (PDAs) in case the ODPs are withdrawn”.
Explaining the withdrawal, Rane said, “I want to clarify that I did not insert a validation clause in the bill. The validation clause was a suggestion of the law department , not of my department. Because of this, there is a sentiment among the people that we are running govt in the form of a dictatorship”.
Then, tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte hit out at the law department over the bills. “Today, we need a total turnaround in our law department, which needs to understand the sanctity of placing a bill in the House,” he said. Referring to Aldona MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira, Khaunte said, “There is one advocate in the House, and he asks questions like he’s fighting a case in court.
During the discussion, I told him (Ferreira) that he is a senior advocate and ex-advocate general. Let me not argue on technicality, but on intent.” “(Ferreira) can question me over intent.
I cannot speak on technicality. It is the work of the department and bureaucracy,” he said. “This time, it has been exposed in the assembly that bills could have been drafted much better.
I have told the chief minister to fix responsibility on such officers, as they cannot be seen.” Apart from the ministers, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo also hit out at govt over the withdrawal of the bill, and said that all is not well in govt. Meanwhile, law minister Aleixo Sequeira defended his department.
“I know that as the law department, it is our duty to ensure whatever bills come in are as per law. I am not supposed to sit with a magnifying glass and see what is the intent of that department. Our job is to see whether it fits within the law or not.
Withdrawal of the bills, according to me, is not done on our instance.” Sequeira said that the department stands by what it said. “We stand by whatever vetting we have done to the bills.
Withdrawal of bills is either due to the demands of the members of the House or the wisdom of the ministers concerned. Therefore, I do not agree that the withdrawal of bills has been done because of the law department.” Sequeira further said, “I believe the law department has done its duty and the law department vetted the bills as per existing laws.
The rest is the responsibility of the department that has moved the bills.” On Khaunte’s demand for action against the officer concerned, Sequeira said that he can say many things, and the chief minister can take action, but there has to be some reason for the action. “Let the CM look into the matter.
Let the CM see whether we are wrong. We are open to scrutiny,” he said. Recently, Goa police received complaints about viral videos about govt policies.
Police have sent teams outside the state to conduct their investigation. Reacting to this, Fatorda MLA and GFP president Vijai Sardesai hit out at govt. “The message is loud and clear: Goa is going bankrupt.
Fix this, instead of sending the police to shoot the messengers! Ministers are at each other’s throats openly for mindless legislations, while gigantic scams like the Rs 50,000 crore Zuari land issue are allowed to happen. If you’re sincere with Goa, you could wipe out our state’s entire debt of Rs 30,000 crore by bringing Zuari to book, and silence your critics,” he said. “But you’ll not do it because you’re the patrons who have put up our beautiful state for sale slice by slice to outsiders at the expense of goenkars.
Rounding up a few influencers will not change reality, and the reality is that Goa is being ravaged,” he said..
