Date: 27th March 2015
1
To,
The Governor,
Government of Goa
Dona Paula, Goa
|
2
To,
The Speaker,
Goa Legislative Assembly,
Porvorim, Goa
|
3
To,
The Chief Minister,
Government of Goa
Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa
|
4
To,
The Minister of Law,
Government of Goa, Porvorim,
Goa
|
5
To,
The Chief Secretary,
Government of Goa,
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
6
To,
The Secretary (Law)
Government of Goa,
Secretariat,
Porvorim, Goa
|
Subject: Call to repeal of The
Goa Agricultural Tenancy (Amendment) Act, 2014
Madam/Sir,
We
write to your office to express our strong displeasure on passing of The Goa
Agricultural Tenancy (Amendment) Act, 2014 by Goa Legislative Assembly and call
for its immediate repeal. This legislation - published in Official Gazette,
Government of Goa in Series I No. 26, Panaji, 25th September, 2014.
Passed by the Legislative Assembly
of Goa on 21-08-2014 and assented to by the Governor of Goa on 23-09-2014. (Goa
Act 19 of 2014) [23-9-2014] - has completed six months and it has only created
sense of social discrimination and segregation in Society.
The
Goa, Daman and Diu Agricultural Tenancy Act, 1964 which was passed 50 years ago
had the objective in mind relating to social engineering in the Union Territory
of Goa. Its main social objective though unstated was to shatter the
discriminating and intimidating methods adopted to control land of the Goa’s
majority people i.e Bhahujan Samaj by the minority people i.e Bhatkars – the so
called landlords.
The
passing of the Amendment in the Goa Legislative Assembly without discussion and
debate on such a massive matter points out that Goa’s MLA’s from all the
Political Parties as well Independents have ceased to represent interest of the
majority of the population of Goa – the Bhahujan Samaj.
The
Goa State Legislative Assembly which was headed by the then Chief Minister
Manohar Parrikar came all out to destroy Goa fully by the Amendment of 1964
tenancy law that protected the tenant which was passed within few minutes on
21-08-2014 by the manipulations of then CM, Ministers and other Legislators as
they all remained with their mouth shut.
We
wish to point to you that the social discriminations and segregation process
triggered off after passing of this law is as grave as the laws such as
Native’s Land Act of 1913 that prevented Blacks, who comprised more than 80 per
cent the population, from freely buying land and progressively restricted them
to live in the least fertile 13 percent of South Africa.
This
process has already set off in Goa as the status of most of Bhatkar’s the so
called landlords in Goa and Whites in South Africa is similar in race relations
to natives of the respective places leading towards race discrimination that
extends into siphoning of the mulnivasi people’s land.
Section
4A is included in order to provide for contract farming through 2014 Act. There
was no provision for contract farming in 1964 Act. This law subtly and covertly
seeks to transform all the indigenous people as their slaves. This law of 2014
that is re-enforced hugely going to affect the people specially the mulnivasis
(SC, ST, OBC and other indigenous peoples).
Whereas
the powers that were given to Mamlatdar, Collector and Administrative Tribunal
taken away by 2014 Amendment. A provision for Tribunal too has been quashed
off. The Amendment passed at the Goa State Legislative Assembly on 21st
August 2014 the power is transferred to Court of Senior Civil Judge. The
Litigation in Court of Senior Civil Judge is a costly affair for tenant. In addition government has retained the
power to give directions to the Court of Senior Civil Judge thereby
compromising the independence of Judiciary.
By
adopting the policy of contract farming the so-called landlord is made powerful
and tenant is made powerless with nil entitlements of creation of tenancy in
contract farming land. Landlord can enter into agreement of contract
farming except in cases of disputed lands.
Provisions
of litigations in the 2014 Amendment has ensured that tenants will lose their
lands and so called landlords will have regained control over land in the
matter of three years of which six months are already gone by. Within this
period tenant has to file case in the Court of Senior Civil Judge.
The
Purchase price after this amendment is determined by Court of Senior Civil
judge instead of Mamlatdar. Powers of
Mamlatdar are taken away and bestowed on Court of Senior Civil Judge. Civil and Criminal Courts were forbidden to
interfere in the matter of this Act but the Amendment has substituted this
crucial section 58.
This
Amendment is passed in the Goa State Legislative Assembly to fool people.
Whereas the people are fully aware of the consequences waiting we request your
kind office to push decisively to repeal the Goa Agricultural Tenancy
(Amendment) Act, 2014 with immediate effect.
Thanking
you and awaiting your response.
Yours Sincerely,
Sd/-
Maggie
Silveira
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Goa State Unit
Sd/-
Sanjay
Pereira
Convener,
Bharat Mutkti Morcha, Cacra unit
Sd/-
Rohidas
Andrade
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Bambolim unit
Sd/-
Soccoro
Braganza
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Siridao Unit
Sd/-
Anthony
Cardozo
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Curca Unit
Sd/-
Sitaram
Pereira
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Odxel Unit
Sd/-
Milind
Palkar
Convener,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Nauxi unit
Sd/-
Chandrakant
Lotlikar
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Siridao Unit
Sd/-
Deu
Kankonkar
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Nauxi Unit
Sd/-
Jeronio
D’Souza,
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Siridao Unit
Sd/-
Vishnu
Kankonkar
Secretary,
Bharat Mukti Morcha, Bambolim
No comments:
Post a Comment