NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES US ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Demanding a common minimum programme for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition, the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) has expressed reservations over the BJP's proposals on privatisation of schools and beaches.
UGDP leaders on Wednesday submitted to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar a list of 16 points they want incorporated in the common minimum programme.
The major contentious issue is the erstwhile BJP government's controversial decision to close down around 50 government primary schools and hand over their buildings to RSS-sponsored private organisations to run private schools.
While opposing this move, the UGDP has said that if privatisation is indeed necessary than it be done in a transparent manner.
The party has also demanded that no common and natural heritage like beaches, forests, lakes or waterfalls be privatised.
The erstwhile BJP government wanted to hand over the management of Miramar beach in Panjim to private parties, but had to back down in the face of public disapproval.
The BJP government had also come under fire for favouring the majority community in recruitment to the police force and in other sectors.
The UGDP also wants to maintain the status quo where the official language is concerned. While Konkani is the sole official language of the state, Marathi is used for official purposes.
The BJP wants equal status for Marathi.
Addressing a press conference, UGDP senior vice president Radharao Gracias spelt out the party's other demands too.
These are a total ban on fishing from June 10 to August 15, which is opposed by the mechanised fishing boat lobby, 80 per cent jobs to locals in all categories of industries, no licences to polluting industries, declaring agriculture as an industry, fixing the Below Poverty Line (BPL) level proportionate to Goa's cost of living and upgrading the existing Dabolim airport to international standards.
The party has demanded setting up of a co-ordination committee comprising representatives of the coalition partners - the BJP, the UGDP and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, he said.
Gracias said that the party was willing to keep aside contentious issues in the interests of running a coalition government.
The coalition partners are expected to finalise the modalities after the three-day assembly session, beginning June 12.
More reports on Goa
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
