Opinion poll : The fight for special status for Goa

Group 2

• Special Status for Goa is concept promoted by the Native people of Goa.

• It involves the granting of special powers to the Government of Goa by the Indian Government by amending article 371(1) of the Constitution of India.

• These powers would allow the Government of Goa to enact special legislation to control the migration of people into Goa and to place restrictions on the sale of land to Non-Goans.

Unique Culture Protection

• The demand for Special Status has its origin in the loss of identity of the Goan People.

• For over 50 Years, there has been migration of people from all over India to Goa.

• This has resulted in erosion of Goa's Unique Culture, strains on limited resources like land, economic hardships for the native people and rise of crime and violence in an otherwise peaceful state.

• There are actions initiated both by the Goa Government and Citizen Groups to further the demand for grant of Special Status Powers.

• The Goa Legislative Assembly passed a resolution for Grant of Special Status and a delegation led by the Chief Minister of Goa met the Prime Minister to apprise him of the need for Special Status.

• Among the Citizen Groups, there was Goa Movement for Special Status led by Mathany Saldanha and Movement for special status for Goa (MSSG)

Origins of the Special Status Movement

• Goa was liberated (Invaded) from the Portugal on the 19th December 1961.

• After invasion of India, there were steps taken to integrate Goans into the Union of Indian.

• People from other states were deputed to Goa to take up postings in Goa's administration.

• Goan students were taught Indian culture and languages and migration of people from other states of India was allowed into Goa.

• These policies which were practiced over 50 years have slowly resulted in the destruction of Goa's unique culture and identity.

• Owing to large scale in migration, the Native Goans will soon be outnumbered by Non Goan.

• By some estimates, over 40% of Goa's population is not of Goan Origin.

• Goans realize that in a few years that they will be a minority in their own land and fear the loss of their land, their culture, their identity, language and ethos.

• So that further destruction of their homeland and culture, that Goa may not eventually become another large Indian city, Goans are increasingly demanding that the Goa Government be given the right to control in migration and regulate land sales to only people of Goan Origin.

• They reason that since the Constitution of India was drafted before Goa joined the union of India, and they have a right to special provision in the Constitution to protect Goa's interests.

Benefits of Special Status

• Will reduce in-migration so that Goa's resources like land, water can be better managed and distributed.

• Create conditions where Goa's unique culture and identity will thrive and grow.

• Lower prices and better quality of life for Goans as the demand for homes, schools, roads, hospitals from Non Goans will be less.

• Reduction in cross border Crime and Lawlessness.• Romi Konkani will thrive.• Goa and Goan can live together without outside interference

Progress of the Special Status demand

• The Goa Legislative Assembly passed a resolution requesting the Government of India to accede to Goa's request for Special Status.

• The Late Mathany Saldanha started the Goa Movement for Special Status as a citizens movement to further the demand for Special Status.

• The Movement for special status for Goa, is another organization fighting for the Special Status.

Hindrances of the Special Status demand

• Lack of Political will from the Government of India due to small representation of Goa in the Indian Parliament(3 Members of Parliament)

• Large scale business interests for the exploitation of Goa's Land resources.

• General disarray of People Movements.

Arguments against Special Status

• The bursting of the mining bubble has revealed that Goa needs more sustainable resources to ensure its development with less dependence upon the external

• If Goa cannot face the competition of the Indian market, it is less likely to resist the investments in a wider global market.

GOEMCHEA RAKHONDARANCHO AWAZ-to finance minister

• a) Curbs on uncontrolled migration into Goa.

b) Curbs on uncontrolled sale of agricultural and non-agricultural land to non-Goan mega builders and/or multinationals.

c) Control over the exploitation of resources including over development of land, mining of metals and other minerals, protection of the environment and that the benefits of any development in any area shall serve the interest of the surrounding villages where such development takes place.

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• d)Protection of our culture and ethos from the dominant cultures of India which have the potential of extinguishing the local one.

e) Protection of the special laws of succession, marriage, divorce and others which is contained in the Common Civil Code which prevails in Goa ( and which incidentally eludes India so far).

This is what we mean by SPECIAL STATUS and that is our demand. India owes it to Goa and it has to be granted even by amending the Constitution, if need be.

Opinion Poll

• The Goa Opinion Poll was a referendum held in the state of Goa, India, on 16 January 1967, to decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu within the Indian Union.

history

• India's independence• Goa and small territories stilled ruled by

Portuguese• Nehru's promise• The division of states based on language • E.g.. Bombay- Maharashtra and Gujarat

Goan language??

• Konkani main language but Marathi was dominant in all holy scriptures

• Hindus believe Konkani was derived from Marathi

• Hence merger

Political situation

• UGP- for• Support – Catholics from south and upper caste Hindus

• MGP- against• Support – lower cast Hindus

• Of the 30 seats in the Goa, Daman and Diu assembly, 28 belonged to Goa, and one each to Daman and Diu.

• MGP formed the government, secured 16 seats • UGP secured 12.

Demand for a referendum

• Demand for merger by MGP• Dr. Jack Sequiera opp. Leaders fights back• met up wit Nehru, Shastri , Indira at Delhi• he President of India gave his assent to the Goa,

Daman and Diu (Opinion Poll) Act on 16 December 1966 after it was passed in both houses of the parliament. 16 January 1967 was chosen as the date for the referendum.

Arguments in favour of merger

• Goa was too small to administer itself and its effective administration would only be possible as a part of a larger state.

• similarities between culture and traditions of Hindus in both the states.

• the strong historical and cultural ties with Maharashtra

• the belief that Konkani is a dialect of Marathi and that Marathi is the mother tongue of all Goans.

• The MGP had the backing of the depressed classes and landless tenants of Goa.

• They were convinced that the only way to overthrow the dominance of the upper caste Hindu Brahmins, bhatkaars(land-owners) and the Catholics who had benefited from Portuguese rule; was to merge into Maharashtra.

• After merger these previously dominant groups would count for nothing within the vast Maharashtrian populace and their influence would vanish.

• The MGP had promised that Goa would be granted several concessions after merger with Maharashtra. The chief minister of Maharashtra, Vasantrao Naik, backed up these promises.

• Some of these promises were:• Preferential treatment to Goans in

government jobs• Industrial and agricultural development• Prohibition would not be applicable to Goa• government notices in Konkani• setting up a separate university for Goa• development of Konkani.

Arguments against the merger

• Konkani is an independent language and not a dialect of Marathi. It was underdeveloped due to the suppression of the language.

• Konkani would be replaced by Marathi• Goa had an identity of its own. Goan culture was a

mix of East and the west having been under Portuguese occupation for nearly 450 years.

• if Goa was merged Goan culture would be subsumed in Marathi culture and disappear.

• Goa would be reduced from a state to a "backwater district of Maharashtra".

• Prohibition would be imposed in Goa, which had a significant rate of alcohol consumption and brewing industry. It would also affect the toddy tappers(Rendercaste)

• Merger would result in a loss of jobs for Goans.

• The Shiv Sena, a Marathi regionalist party had emerged in Maharashtra in 1966 which favoured a sons-of-the-soil policy; demanding preferential treatment for ethnic Marathis in job.

• It also spearheaded violent attacks against South Indians in the city of Bombay. If their moves succeeded, Goans would be sidelined for jobs in their own state.

• The Christians of Goa accounted for 250,000 Roman Catholics during the 1960s a major portion of the Goan population and had considerable influence were fearful that the merger would reduce their political influence to nothing in the merged entity.

• Many Goan Hindus, on the other hand, have relatives in Maharashtra, and most speak a dialect of the Marathi language. But the determining question was whether Goa should cease to exist.

• However there After Independence, India had seen communal riots and the emergence of more powerful Hindu-nationalist groups such as the RSS.

• Unlike the Hindus, for whom Marathi was a medium of religious instruction, the Christians did not use Marathi. They mostly spoke in Konkani and did not have any feelings for Marathi. The pro-merger argument that Konkani was a dialect of Marathi did not please them.

The Choice and results• The referendum offered the people of Goa, Daman and Diu two options• To remain a Union Territory of India. Or• To merge Goa with Maharastra; and Daman and Diu with Gujarat.• The two options were represented by two symbols: A flower for merger,

and two leaves for retaining independent identity. Voters had to pace a "X" mark against the symbol of choice.

• The poll was held on 16 January 1967. Polling was largely peaceful with reports of a few incidents. Supporters from both sides tried their best to ensure that people voted.

ResultsSeparate territory172,19154.20Merger138,17043.50Total317,633100

Criticism

• The opinion poll received a great deal of criticism from the anti-mergerists.

• Their grievance was that the Opinion Poll only offered them status-quo as a self administering union territory instead of full statehood that they desired.

• According to them the referendum should not have been on the issue of merger with Goa, but whether Goa should have an independent legislature or not.

• This issue led to a split in the UGP.