Learn to live with past, don’t try to rewrite history, Sardesai tells govt

Times of India | 8 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 04:35 am

Panaji: Questioning the motive behind the state government’s decision to recover documents from Portugal, Goa Forward Party president Vijai Sardesai said that the BJP-led government needs to accept Goa’s “rich past” even if they don’t like it. Speaking in the state legislative assembly on Thursday, the Fatorda MLA wondered if BJP wanted to rewrite Goa’s history. He said that the government should stop looking for aspects that “may or may not exist” in Goa’s ancient history. “We know that we have a rich past. Whether we like our past or not, we have to preserve what we have. We have to live with it. We can’t neglect it. We do not have to search for something that may or may not exist,” said Sardesai while speaking on the motion to cut grants to the archives and archaeology department. Sardesai, who also served as the minister for archives and archaeology earlier, urged the government to protect and create awareness about Goa’s history without trying to stoke tensions between different religions. In June, Sawant said his government would seek to get back the historical documents about the state which are in the possession of Portuguese authorities and which could “reveal secrets” about Goa. “There is a feeling that documents are sought from Portugal for reasons other than appreciation of history. Some feel that this is to stoke communal tensions,” said Sardesai. “You need to invest in history for the love of learning about our past. Don’t invest in it to rewrite history and the past for the sake of fulfilling an agenda.” Sardesai asked minister for archives and archaeology Subhash Phal Dessai to provide clarity about the government’s intentions. “There is no light at the end of the tunnel. There is a need for clarity,” said Sardesai.

Read more

Share:

Similar News

Presidential polls: Cross-voting for Murmu bares cracks in Opposition unity

The Indian Express | 7 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 05:40 am

The Indian Express

7 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 05:40 am

As counting of votes in the Presidential election concluded Thursday, it became clear that NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu’s spectacular win had also been helped by some cross-voting. It was also proof of the division and confusion in Opposition ranks over thwarting the first tribal woman’s bid to occupy the highest office in the country.The ruling BJP claimed that 17 MPs from the two Houses of Parliament and 126 MLAs from states defied respective party lines and voted for Murmu. Many regional parties, despite their political reservations against the BJP, had indicated their willingness to see Murmu in Rashtrapati Bhavan.She bagged 2824 of the total 4701 valid votes, leaving just 1877 votes for the Opposition’s Yashwant Sinha.Murmu secured 64.03 per cent of the total valid votes, less than what outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind got in 2017 — 65.65 per cent of the total votes polled. But the divide and bitterness then was the Modi government was just three years into its first term.According to BJP leaders, 10 MLAs in Gujarat, 22 in Assam, 12 in Uttar Pradesh and 4 in Goa cross-voted for Murmu. The details will be available only after a thorough assessment of the state-wise voting pattern.With Sinha failing to get the expected votes, there is a question mark on Opposition unity. But leaders of Opposition parties pointed out that many among them had no choice except to stand with Murmu to protect their tribal support base.Murmu secured the support of the entire House in Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim because Sinha drew a blank in these states. She even managed one vote from Kerala, a state where the BJP could not win a single seat in the Assembly or in the Lok Sabha polls.In Telangana, a state where the BJP hopes to emerge as an alternative, the NDA candidate could manage only 3 votes while Sinha bagged 113 votes.The number of invalid votes also came down from 77 in 2017 to 53 this election.While the counting was on, BJP leaders claimed that Murmu would win the election with almost 70 per cent of the votes in the electoral college.But the BJP and allies losing power in key states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu and the drop in its seat tally in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat seem to have contributed to the fall in the votes for the NDA candidate. For example, in 2017, Kovind received 166 votes in Rajasthan which dropped to 75; in Tamil Nadu where its ally AIADMK was defeated by the DMK, it fell from 134 to 75; in Maharashtra, from 280 to 181; in Gujarat, it dropped from 132 to 121; in Madhya Pradesh from 171 to 146; and in Punjab where the AAP stormed to power, the NDA candidate could manage only 8 votes as against 18 in 2017.Buy Now | Our best subscription plan now has a special priceIn states like West Bengal where the BJP emerged stronger in the last elections, Murmu got 71 votes — it was just 11 in 2017. In Karnataka, the tally went up from 56 to 150. In 2017, Kovind had the backing of 522 MPs while 540 MPs backed Murmu.

Dhond transferred to West Bengal for party organisational work

Times of India | 11 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 01:12 am

Times of India

11 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 01:12 am

Panaji:State BJP general secretary (organisation) Satish Dhond was on Thursday appointed state joint secretary (organisation) of West Bengal’s Asansol kendra with immediate effect. The appointment was made following his meeting with senior BJP functionaries in Delhi. State BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade told TOI that Dhond has been given a “bigger responsibility and a big state”. He added that it isn’t clear yet whether he would continue to hold his Goa office or if he will be replaced. In the recently-concluded assembly election, sources said that Dhond played a crucial role in getting BJP to form the government again.

3 MLAs cross-vote in Prez election

Times of India | 11 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 01:12 am

Times of India

11 hours ago | 22-07-2022 | 01:12 am

Panaji: Three MLAs in Goa cross-voted for the presidential election. NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu secured 28 votes out of 40. In the 40-member assembly, BJP has 20 MLAs and has support of two MGP MLAs and three independents. “Along with the people of Goa, I extend hearty greetings to Droupadi Murmu on her overwhelming victory in the Presidential elections. This is a historic day for the nation as a self-made woman hailing from the tribal community will assume the office of the President in the world’s largest democracy for the first time,” Sawant said. tnn

‘Government, OBC commission delayed panchayat elections’: Goa opposition MLAs

Times of India | 2 days ago | 20-07-2022 | 11:16 am

Times of India

2 days ago | 20-07-2022 | 11:16 am

POROVORIM: Holding the government responsible for the delay in OBC reservation for the upcoming panchayat elections, opposition MLAs also accused the OBC commission of failure to do a thorough job of the OBC survey. Chief minister Pramod Sawant, however, made every attempt to shrug off the blame during Question Hour on Tuesday. The House witnessed noisy scenes over the question tabled by St Cruz MLA Rudolfo Fernandes. “If things were done properly, this would not have been the situation. The government slept over the issue first and its whole purpose was to delay the election,” Fernandes said. Sawant denied the charge stating “the government’s intent was clear from day one”. BJP MLA Ganesh Goankar said that the data submitted by the OBC commission to the state election commission was “wrong” and led to confusion. “Wards have been reserved for OBC when there are just 10 to 15 people of the community there,” he said. AAP MLA Cruz Silva said that in Velim, in one panchayat, no ward was reserved despite people from the OBC community living there. In his reply Sawant said reservation was done in accordance with the percentage of the OBC population in each panchayat ward, and there could be problems in some panchayats. Sawant said data was taken from the social welfare department and the directorate of panchayats and that the OBC commission studied data from both sources and accordingly submitted the report. GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai said that the seats reserved for OBCs do not tally with the 27% requirement as per law. “Only 20% reservation has been done,” Sardesai said, pointing out that even BJP’S South Goa chief Tulshidas Naik said that reservation had not been done properly. Fernandes said the election should not have been announced before reserving the wards. Sawant said that anticipating heavy rain which could lead to flooding, the government requested the high court to postpone the election by a month.

BJP MLAs join oppn against taxi apps

Times of India | 2 days ago | 20-07-2022 | 04:41 am

Times of India

2 days ago | 20-07-2022 | 04:41 am

Porvorim: The state on Tuesday received a lot of pushback from legislators, including BJP MLAs, on the proposed move to introduce app-based taxi aggregators such as Uber and Ola in Goa. Legislators said that the transport department needs to sit down with local taxi operators and find a solution that suits all stakeholders instead of bringing in a “failed model” for taxi services. They said that the proposal to bring in app-based taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber would create further problems in Goa. “I feel the government should strongly reconsider bringing in Ola and Uber,” said Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate. “Why are we trying to bring in a failed business model?” Clearly questioning the state government’s intent, She said that the government must ensure taxi operators use the installed digital meters. Aside from Monserrate, Congress MLAs Digambar Kamat, Yuri Alemao, Aleixo Sequeira, Delilah Lobo and Carlos Ferreira also expressed concern. “Today, the minister is talking about Ola and Uber. I think we need to study this. Are we going to bring loss-making entities to Goa? These should not be brought to Goa. This idea should be scrapped,” said Revolutionary Goans Party MLA Viresh Borkar. Almost every MLA urged the government to prepare a proper policy for taxi operators , which addresses all concerns and ensures a level playing field for all taxis. Legislators pointed out that pre-paid taxis do not use digital meters while cabs booked as part of a tour package also do not operate as per the meter. “There is a limited of business for taxis in Goa. I think the government needs to have a dialogue with the taxi brethren and protect their interests,” said Alemao.Kamat said the problems with taxi fares began ever since the government introduced GoaMiles without consulting taxi operators. “When Goa Miles was brought in, there was undue benefit to Froto Miles which said it would not pay the government any revenue for 18 months. This is an undue advantage and clear corruption. There was a director on GoaMiles who was the son of a former BJP minister,” said Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira, said, “The government has spent so much to install digital meters, so once the app-based taxis come, all this will we wasted.” Last week, while speaking in the House, chief minister Pramod Sawant said that app-based cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber are the best solution for Goa’s tourism sector in the long run.

More News

Latest News