Goa: ‘Tiger Reserve’ judgment by HC protects rights of forest dwellers; BJP spreading wrong information, says Congress

Panaji (Goa) [India], July 31 : Stating that the High Court’s judgment in regards to the ‘Tiger Reserve’, protects the rights of scheduled tribes or other forest dwellers, Congress on Sunday alleged that the BJP government’s move to challenge it in the Supreme Court is to weaken the Mhadei case to benefit Karnataka.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar on Sunday addressed a press conference and lambasted Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane for trying to misguide people and also the court.
Patkar hailed the judgment given by the Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday directing the state government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a Tiger Reserve within three months.
The Court was hearing a petition filed by the ‘Goa Foundation (a local NGO). It had sought direction from the court to notify a Tiger Reserve in the state.
“Courts order is very clear and it is in the interest of the state and its people. It has protected the rights of forest dwellers and has asked the state government to act on it,” Patkar said.
“Vishwajit Rane and other BJP leaders are trying to spread wrong information in public that around 15 thousand people will be displaced if ‘Tiger Reserve’ is notified. Forest department's plan itself says that most habitation areas are already excluded from the core area of the proposed tiger reserve,” Patkar pointed out.
The judgment states, “There appears to be some misimpression that the moment the area is notified as a tiger reserve, there would be large-scale displacements of populations and the rights of the forest dwellers would be drastically affected. This needs to be corrected.”
Patkar said that the court has asked the Goa Forest Department officials to initiate a campaign to assure the scheduled tribes or other forest dwellers that their interests will not be adversely affected and their concerns will be suitably addressed.
“We do care for our people staying in forest areas and also about tigers and Mhadei. But it seems, the BJP government is trying to weaken our case to benefit Karnataka,” Patkar charged.
He said that Vishwajit Rane and his government are trying to stifle the voice of the public by using the tool of ‘Breach of Privilege’, where it has threatened to move it if people speak against him publicly.
“He himself has violated the rules of the house by taking the name of Goa Foundation and defaming the NGO. It is because of the ‘Goa Foundation’ Goa government will earn through mining,” he said.
GPCC General Secretary Adv. Shrinivas Khalap and Media Chairman Amarnath Panjikar were present.
Adv. Khalap said that Rane levelled criminal allegations against Goa Foundation and speaker Ramesh Tawadkar didn’t object to it. “Rules of Business are infringed by minister and speaker. He has also allowed resolutions moved by their party members despite the issue being subjudice. This clears how they are misusing powers,” Khalap said.