Give us two seats or face boycott, say migrants to national parties - Herald

VASCO: Approximately over 20 percent of Goa's population today is constituted of migrants.

By NAVIN JHA navin@herald-goa.com

VASCO: Approximately over 20 percent of Goa's population today is constituted of migrants. Election after election, political leaders have used the migrant vote to get elected. But in the forthcoming assembly polls, the situation in Goa might be different as the migrants in Goa have decided to demand their pound of flesh!

They have demanded at least two seats from national parties, failing which they would boycott the national parties and would look for regional parties in Goa as an alternative.

According to the president of Akil Goa Kannada Mahasangh (AGKM), Siddanna Meti, the committee members of all 17 different associations of migrant’s community affiliated to AGKM held a meeting recently in Goa. In the meeting various issues pertaining to the rights of migrants and role of migrant, especially the Kannadigas in the development of Goa and the benefits to the migrant’s community were discussed.

It was also brought to the notice of the members that the migrants have been facing discrimination when it comes to availing local government schemes, despite the fact that Kannadigas have been living in Goa since several decades and have opted to become Goan citizen. But majority of their issues remains unsolved because the migrants are not having any representative in the state assembly, though the migrants in many constituency plays decisive role. 

 “Though the migrants have been contributing in the development of Goa, but when it comes to facilities, our community is still backward with leaders only giving small doles to our people by providing few schemes to our people. But what about the our issues? Though we are living and contributing in all fields but we are still considered as outsiders and out rights are curtailed and thus we now have decided to ask for two seats or at least one seat from the national parties, including BJP and Congress. If the demands are not met we will boycott national parties and support regional forces besides backing our own leaders aspiring to contest forthcoming assembly polls in Goa” Meti said.

According to Meti, migrants and especially the Kannadigas have their presence in all constituencies in Goa. From Pernem to Canacona there are about 3.5 Lakhs migrants including about two lakh voters living here in Goa. “Though we have such high presence, still during our issues, leaders in the government do not come forward to help us and the best example to prove is Baina demolition when our leaders from Karnataka came but received no support from Goan leaders. Thus if we have representation in the state assembly then our leader would be in position to take up our issues strongly before the government. We feel that Cortalim assembly seat where we have over 12000 votes, besides any one other seat would be feasible for us to win for any national parities and if national parties don’t respect to our sentiments then we would look out for alternative this time but not national party,” he said. 

http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Give-us-two-seats-or-face-boycott-say-migrants-to-national-parties-/108433.html