‘Those opposing agri land bill have built bungalows in fields’

Panaji: BJP state president Sadanand Shet Tanavade on Monday said there is only political opposition to the Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill, 2023, and that BJP’s karyakartas have welcomed the bill in the interest of saving agricultural land.
“Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira, who is a lawyer, supported the bill and gave his suggestions. The people behind the sale of agricultural land are the ones opposing the bill. What can we do?” Tanavade said.
He further said that MLAs who have constructed bungalows on agricultural land are the only ones protesting against the legislation and that when state BJP general secretary Damodar Naik requested karyakartas to give their suggestions on the agricultural land bill during a meeting, they came out in full support of it.
The assembly passed the Goa Restriction on Transfer of Agricultural Land Bill, 2023, on Friday even as the opposition rushed to the well of the House to protest provisions of the bill that allow the acquisition of such land — albeit with riders — by industries, cooperative farming societies and by non-agriculturists who intend to pursue agriculture.
Tanavade, meanwhile, said BJP has decided to put up one lakh flags of the party on the houses of karyakartas ahead of BJP’s foundation day on April 6.