In a victory for the month-long anti-regional plan agitation, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), at an emergency meeting on Thursday, decided to denotify Regional Plan 2011.
PANAJI: In a victory for the month-long anti-regional plan agitation, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), at an emergency meeting on Thursday, decided to denotify Regional Plan 2011. Later, the Goa cabinet endorsed the decision.
Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane told reporters that the decision had been taken keeping in view “people’s sentiments”. Only last week, the CLP had asked for the plan to be kept in abeyance and thrown open to public opinion for the next 60 days. This had been rejected by the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA). Thursday’s decision indicated that the Congress had finally recognised the groundswell of opposition to the plan among the people.
Exactly a month ago, the GBA took its fight against politicians over the concretisation of this holiday destination to the streets. But it became apparent from the public anger unleashed at the demolition of a restaurant run by a Goan family (despite flouting CRZ rules) on Wednesday evening that Goa’s ruling class had not tapped into the widespread resentment among the local population. Rane committed political hara-kiri by not showing up on time for a meeting with the GBA, leading to the latter walking out.
GBA convenor Oscar Rebello said, “The GBA will actively pursue discussions on the regional plan with the government towards categorical, unconditional and immediate denotification of the plan.” The GBA, which was called for a meeting with Governor S C Jamir, on Thursday afternoon heard him reiterate that he was all for judicious use of the land in the state.
While Goa’s cabinet including Rane — whose son Vishvajit Rane is alleged to have benefited hugely by turning over Goa to the building lobby via the regional plan —looked like losers, the Goa Pradesh
Youth Congress (GPYC) jumped into the fray on Wednesday demanding that the plan be denotified. At an emergency state executive committee meeting, it demanded a new plan which “will protect Goans and Goa’s unique identity.” GPYC president Girish Chodankar said, “Unfortunately, the entire issue was not handled properly by our government, as a result its image has gone down day by day.”
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