Former CM to move bill seeking special status for Goa
Panaji, June 30: Former Goa Chief Minister and Congress MLA Luizinho Faleiro on Saturday said he will move a private member's bill in the upcoming monsoon session of the state Legislative Assembly, seeking special status for Goa.
"There is a need for a small state like Goa to preserve and protect its unique identity, culture, tradition, heritage and its landscape, under Article 375 of the Constitution. The bill will be a step towards getting special status for Goa," Faleiro told a press conference at state Congress state headquarters here.
For the last few years, the talks of seeking special status for Goa have been doing the rounds in the political and social circles in the state, which has been facing challenges stemming from rapid in-migration, shrinking land resources and a resultant dilution of identity.
The issue of special status had been raised by all the major political parties in Goa, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, in the run-up to the 2012 state Assembly polls and the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP-led coalition government which was subsequently voted to power, was instrumental in moving a unanimous resolution in the Assembly demanding special status for Goa.
But, after winning the polls, then Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had said that the seeking special status for Goa was like "running after a mirage".
Over the last couple of years, top BJP national leaders have also rejected the possibility of Goa being granted special status through a constitutional amendment.
Faleiro now claims that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Delhi, has the necessary numerical strength to grant special status to Goa by a legislative act, which he claimed was not the case with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government which was in power at the Centre from 2004-2014.
"Now, the present government could have definitely given special status because they have got the desired majority in Parliament and they have done in many cases like in judicial accountability bill which was ratified by Parliament," Faleiro said.
The 12-day monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly is scheduled to begin from July 19.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
