I am a leftist in the BJP: Parrikar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 18 April 2013 22:51 IST
“I am a leftist in the BJP”, said chief minister Manohar Parrikar, leader of a right-wing party that has started ruling the tourist state since last year.
The reference was illegal encroachments on Monte hill in Margao.
No Goan would be thrown on the roads and no poor would be made homeless, he assured the House, especially the opposition benches.
Parrikar also said he would not displace any poor without providing alternate shelter.
“Even in Baina, I made alternate arrangement and then demolished the whole area”, he claimed.
However, he also made it clear that he would not tolerate any kind of illegal encroachment henceforth.
In fact ‘the leftist in the BJP’ came down heavily on the religious structures mushrooming in public places.
He also came down on many temple committees which have encroached into others’ properties.
“These people have sold the God”, he alleged, though he also did not forget to clarify that this statement does not apply to real believers of God, who function within a legal framework and work for the society.
Parrikar also made it clear that the government would no more tolerate encroachment in the government land.
“I want to amend the act to make it a cognizable offence while increasing the fine up to Rs 50,000 and imprisonment of three years”, he said.
He plans to either bring a legislation in this session itself or issue an ordinance soon after the session.
He said the government would take up a drive to remove all the illegal encroachment in the government properties, no matter whom it belongs to.
