MARGAO: Noted social activist Matanhy Saldanha has said that special status is the only way to protect Goans in Goa. Speaking at the seminary on the benefits of special status at Benaulim Community centre, the former minister explained the various advantages of special status for the state.
“Goa is on the verge of losing its identity, as its limited land is being sold for the lure of money to the real estate sharks, builders and the millionaires from all over the world. Most of them come to ‘buy Goa’ and exploit our beautiful land and community”, he said, and thundered “even at this stage, it is not late to get a Special Status for Goa. It is the vested interests who are misguiding Goans on this issue”.
Emphasizing on the urgent need to educate the people on the issue of Special Status, former MLA of Santa Cruz Victor Gonsalves pointed out that Goa was not part of the Constituent Assembly, when the Indian Constitution was being framed.
“The then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, after the Liberation of Goa had assured us a special Status to protect our uniqueness. This promise is not yet fulfilled”, he reminded.
Earlier in his welcome address Dr Hubert Gomes warned that if Special Status is not granted to Goa, there is no future for financially poor Goans. “With soaring land prices, a day will come when most of our children will not be able to buy property in their own land”, he cautioned.
Well known RTI activists Rui Gama and Jose Marie Miranda pointed out that Goa’s unique character and topography is being destroyed due to construction of huge mega-housing projects and mushrooming of unhygienic slums in different parts of Goa. “Gross atrocities are being committed not only on our Communidade land, but also on the lands possessed by the STs, SCs and OBCs in Goa. If we are not careful the whole of Goa will be converted into Moti Dongor”, they said.
Earlier noted social activist Geraldina Fernandes and Mrs Kim Miranda lit a candle to symbolise the launch of “SAAG”- the legal aid, RTI Help and Public Awareness Cell of Benaulim Community Centre. All the speakers present on the occasion complimented Dr Hubert Gomes for his smart and bold initiatives to safeguard the interests of Goa.
We need a special status for Goa for sure. what do the political crumb eaters think?. The main issues lye in illegal RATION CARDS given to MIGRANTS many have falsely changed their names to Goan names.
ReplyDeleteI respect Mathany Saldanha as he is a man of Integrity. But I want to ask him, while he was in power why he did not utter a word on Special Status to Goa. He had a good opportunity to demand SS when he landed support to BJP at crucial stage, just by giving talks nothing will prgress specially with these corrupt Delhi based govt. He could at aleast now give a boost to GRA in their fight for this cause. At least some honest politician who have Goa in their heart should come forward and support GRA to carry their effort in every parts of Goa. And I hope people will soon realise and come to their senses when this current rogues are not ready to listen to people's voice as far as MOI concerned and same people should come together to support GRA and teach these born corrupt bas..trd a true lesson to remember for life. If we do not walk with GRA this time then we are sure future of our children as well as Goa will be doomed forever.
ReplyDeleteArise Goans and fight for whatever is left of our beautiful land.Promises made by Congress and its leaders are fake. We heard them from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and even Sonia Gandhi in Margao in the in the last Parliamentary election. All Congress leaders are now sleeping and will only awake when the elections are declared. Can they fool us all the time ? Are Goans so dumb ?
ReplyDeleteDIGU IS EATING GOA WITH HIS CHORS..........................................
ReplyDeleteWell said Vincent.
ReplyDeleteI do not know this Mathany although I heard he is a nice guy. I would like to ask Mathany what he did for Goa when he was in power ? has this guy woken up now ? or is he dreaming ? or all his loot is over ?
ReplyDeleteMr. Mathany if you are a true Goan, you have still a chance ... do something
Mr Buyarantlomonis, First of all it is easier to make such comments by hiding behind the cloak of anonymity. Please know your facts well before commenting on perhaps the greatest leader that Goa has produced. Judging from your ignorance, perhaps you are just a kid commenting because it has become fashionable to abuse all politicians of late.
ReplyDeleteI do not entirely blame you for thinking that Matanhy being a politician and one-time MLA&Minister is corrupt like all our MLAs. Matanhy is apolitician by compulsion driven by his burning desire to save GOA and Goans like you and me. He is not the typical Goan politician - half baked semi-literate local gangster with loads of ill-gotten wealth which they invest in elections to buy votes from gullible folks and ghanttis and then proceed to sell Goan land and interests to GHANTTIS to recover their investments. This is a typical Goan MLA of now - well 99 percent of them cutting across all parties. Rest all talk of development and upliftment of poor is just hogwash.
Mathany is a man of highest integrity, a man of unflinching principles and one is not in politics to make money. If that was the case he would have got crores of rupees in bank account by now. Matanhy is a GREAT VISIONARY who could forsee what harm the policies of the government would cause for Goa.Moreover he is a highly educated man with absolutely no selfish interest.I know him first hand because I was his student and I was a witness to his passion for our beloved Goa. The personal sacrifices that Mathany has made for cause of Goans is innumerable and we Goans can never hope to repay him.He was once severly beaten by the trawler owners for esposing the cause of traditional fisherman the ramponkars.
For your kind information Matanhy is primarily a social activist who is fighting for Goan causes for the last 30-35 years sometimes almost single-handedly.Starting with the anti-pollution agitation against Zuari Agro in the seventies Matanhy has been a tireless crusader and the face of the common man in ntheir struggles against injustice perpertrated by successive Goan governments over the years. And the most important point to be noted is that heis fighting all this injustice for the sake of Goa and Goans by spending from his own pockets. He is a fire-brand leader who championed the cause of ramponkars, led the Konkani agitation although Kumpars and smugglers may claim so. Matanhy was also leading the anti-Konkan railway agitation when he was labelled as an anti-national by our politicians and now we see the effects - Uncontrolled influx of GHANTTIS and increase in robberies and crime rate.
Matanhy is not a social activist who mushroom suddenly, make a big-noise and when they feel the heat quietly disappear. It is not easy to fight against the money and muscle power of our politicians - many of our high profile media savy social activists (so-called intellectuals) are finding it. Matanhy never claims credit for anything, infact he is fighting for protecting Goa for you and me and our future generations. SAVING it from beinng over-run by GHANTTIS.
But every election time people elect the same smugglers,butlers,motor-cycle pilots,jokers, ghadekars,matka-bookies, kumapars (who entered politics with a scooter without a stand), jinga mami mauvins and all sorts of illiterate garbage. Thats the tragedy of us Goans!!!!
Buyarantla Munsa sodanch buyarant ravo naka. Gavan ani munshem moden bhov. Ony then you will realize who Matanhy is and what he has done for Goa & Goans. Why don't you type his name on google site and find out who this man is. I can proudly say that MATANHY IS THE CONSCIENCE OF GOA.
ReplyDeleteYou want to know what he has done when he was in power ? He has not allowed Congress to Loot Goa inspite of him being offered crorers of rupees to support them. He was even disqualified for this by by Sardinha( Tallo). He sacrificed for the Love of Goa.
Yes it is true what Matanhy has written about Special Status for Goa, I appreciate his concern for protecting Goa , to recollect he spearheaded the SEZ movement along with other activist , what could have been the state of Goa if the SEZ's had become a reality , Goa would have been destroyed by the migrants who would have come in large numbers to find employment , they would have been prefered over Goans , every state has got its son of the soil policy hence we have to protect Goa for future Goans ,our land , culture and people are at stake. Special status for Goa is the need of the hour , migrants are making inroads into the structure of Goa's Politics . We Goans have to rise up to the occassions and work to protect goa
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