Goa Congress workers and leaders observed a token one-day hunger strike here today to highlight "failures" of the BJP-led state government and demanded immediate appointment of Lokayukta and State Information Commissioners.
The hunger strike, from 10 am to 6 pm, was led by AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar at Azad Maidan. Besides demanding appointment of Lokayukta and Information Commissioners, the main Opposition party sought implementation of the Goa (Right of Citizens to Time-Bound Delivery of Public Services) Act.
Speaking to the media at Azad Maidan, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro said the BJP-led Government has "failed" on all fronts, including law and order, unemployment, administration and mining.
Patience is running out among the Goans due to rise in prices of essential commodities and high taxes, and its high time people came out on the streets to protest against the "misrule" of the Parsekar Government, he said.
Before the last Assembly election (in 2012), Goa BJP went all over the state and raised the issues of price rise and jobs. But, after remaining in power for the last three-and-a- half years, they have failed to deliver, Faleiro said.
They talked about Goa getting special status, removing casinos and implementing Regional Plan. But now they have made a U-turn on these issues and deceived the people of Goa, the Congress leader said.
"Today, we have to go on hunger strike because the ruling BJP has made a U-turn on promises it made to the people during the last election."
The situation is so scarythat on one side the Government is bankrupt and on the other, high taxes have made the common man's life difficult, Faleiro said.
Goa is one of the highest tax payers in India, he said citing a survey.
Mining activity has come to a halt, rendering over 1,000 people jobless, he said.
"We are planning an agitation to highlight the plight of people who have been rendered jobless in the mining sector," he said.
Tourism sector, lifeline of Goa's economy, is also not doing well, the former minister claimed, adding that "once Goa was known as land of plenty, now it is known as land as scanty."
Goan youth, who have passed out as IT graduates, are jobless. Mechanical and civil engineers, computer graduates, too, are not finding employment in the State, Faleiro said.
"During the last three-and-a-half years corruption is at its peak and everyone in the Government is busy looting the state. People are suffering due to failed governance and corruption," Chodankar alleged.
