PANAJI: Randeep Singh Surjewala, media in-charge, All India Congress Committee (AICC), said on Tuesday that transparent governance, an empowered Goa, and an accountable government will be the Congress’s vision. The Congress will obliterate the BJP’s ‘paralysis of governance – proliferation of crimes’.
At a press conference, he said the Congress promises to institutionalise mining reforms, set up a permanent mining fund, and create employment. The party also promised a comprehensive tourism policy and a special Goa tourist force. Besides, the party spoke about the special status to Goa under Article 371 of the Constitution.
“The BJP’s employment record has been dismal: both in 30 months of the Modi government at the Centre and five years of the BJP in Goa. The Prime Minister had promised two crore jobs a year, but in 30 months, the government has been able to generate only 1.35 lakh jobs (Labour Bureau, government of India). In Goa, the promise of 50,000 jobs and an unemployment allowance of ₹4,000 per month has remained a mirage,” said Mr. Surjewala.
“Be it the destruction of coconut trees by amending the Preservation of Trees Act or the organised mafia, drugs and prostitution; Goa under the BJP is a story of shattered dreams.”
Attacking Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who with the help of Goa BJP leaders wants to nationalise all the six rivers, Mr. Surjewala said the plan is to dredge the rivers and industrialise them earning millions in profit, thus decimating the ecosystem and hitting the livelihood of fishermen.
He accused Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Mr. Modi of doing repeated ‘U-turns’, on sending out casinos from the Mandovi riverbed, medium of instructions in primary schools, punishing the corrupt who have become BJP candidates, punishing the guilty of the mining scam as per the Shah report and the PAC report, and creation of employment.
“The five years of the BJP government have been a story of ‘false promises’, ‘frivolous intent’, ‘shifting goal posts’, and ‘intolerant outposts’,” said the AICC spokesperson.
