Dr Justice Ferdino Rebello has offered himself to be part of a movement to fight the cancer of corruption of mindless land conversions in Goa, which is dominating Goan politics.
He was speaking after releasing the book ‘Ajeeb Goa’s Gajab Politics’ by journalist Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji on Monday.
“It’s high time we come together and begin a people’s movement to put an end to the corrupt politics that has destroyed everything in Goa. I am ready to join such a movement because we need to save Goa”, said Justice Rebello.
While recalling the non-corrupt government led by MGP chief minister Shashikala Kakodkar when he was the Janata Party MLA in Goa Assembly in 1977, the retired chief justice of Allahabad high court also suggested couple of crucial amendments to the anti-defection act. He said the act needs to lay down a time frame of three months for the Speaker as well as the High Court and the Supreme Court to decide on the disqualification petitions. Also, those who cross over parties should not be allowed to vote on no confidence or confidence motions as well as finance bills and should not be allowed to contest elections during that term.
Dr Peter Ronald de Souza, D D Kosambi visiting professor at Goa University, cautioned the audience that Goa is undergoing deep transformation socially, culturally, politically and even ethically. Even the judicial, political and educational institutions are transforming.
“At the centre of this deep transformation is the land of Goa. Everybody in India wants to buy land in Goa and the whole political system is moving around the land politics. This book has provided a platform to understand this Politics of Land”, he said.
Political analyst Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho said the ongoing conversions of agricultural land all across Goa is a much bigger issue than the three linear projects. We need to create an environment where all the political parties would come together to delete the most disastrous section 16B in the Town and Country Planning Act.
“The whole politics of Goa is today controlled by the land dealers. The days of waves are over. The elections are now fully personality-based due to which parties are lifting individuals. Each one of them are the real estate dealer”, he remarked.
Author Sandesh Prabhudesai said he has written this book more for the voters to understand the Politics of Land and Business of Politics so that they could vote wise in the forthcoming Assembly election. It has also highlighted other issues like migration and how the land has exchanged hands from ancient times.
The panel discussion was moderated by Kishor Naik Gaonkar, editor of Goan Varta Live. Prashanti Talpankar compered.