In a brazen act of deflection, Goa’s Environment Minister, Alexio Sequeira, has placed the blame for the state’s environmental destruction squarely on the shoulders of Goans, accusing them of selling their inherited lands to non-Goans for hefty sums. According to him, if Goans hadn't sold their land, mega projects wouldn’t have found their way into the state. But this narrative is not only disingenuous—it’s a convenient smokescreen for his own political and economic interests.
Yes, Goans are selling land. But let’s get real: there are complex reasons behind these decisions, from financial necessity to resolving family disputes over property. The truth, which Sequeira conveniently sidesteps, is that the very politicians pointing fingers at the people are neck-deep in the real estate game themselves.
Ministers or a Land Broker?
Can Sequeira deny his own role as a land developer? Can he refute the claim that he, too, has sold land for personal gain? Or that he has used state machinery—police and government influence—to suppress protests against the sale of land for massive, destructive projects? The hypocrisy reeks.
Most of Goa's 40 MLAs have brokered land deals themselves. Goan families might sell small plots to stay afloat, but politicians are the ones who facilitate the sale of acres upon acres, greasing the wheels of these mega projects. Has the political turncoat Sequeira forgotten that politicians often coerce Goans to sell their land, using both persuasion and muscle? When the carrot doesn’t work, the stick follows—threats of land acquisition for "government purposes" leave property owners with no choice but to sell.
And let’s not forget Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, infamously dubbed "Property Sawant" by none other than his fellow MLAs and government insiders, due to his deep involvement in shady property deals.
The Real Culprits: Corrupt Politicians, Not Common Goans
For Sequeira, blaming the people is easy. It's a distraction from his own dishonesty. This is the same man who swore on holy ground—at a church, a temple, and a mosque—that he would never abandon the Congress party. Yet, for the sake of political convenience, he quickly jumped ship to the BJP, betraying not just his party but the people he claimed to represent. How can Goans trust a man who can’t even keep his oath to God?
More importantly, who is issuing the licenses to these non-Goan buyers? Who is bending, breaking, and reworking the rules to accommodate these outsiders? It’s the corrupt politicians like Sequeira who shamelessly sell out their own state. If they followed the law, refused bribes, and protected Goa's interests, this environmental destruction wouldn’t be happening. But instead, the laws governing land use are constantly being manipulated to benefit the wealthy and powerful—both inside and outside the state.
Why is the "change in land use" rule amended so often? It’s certainly not to help Goans. It’s to serve the rich non-Goan investors, who not only buy the land but also the politicians who enable their destructive projects.
A Government That Sells Its Soul—and Goa’s Future
If Sequeira and his fellow ministers genuinely cared about preserving Goa, why not introduce a law banning the sale of land to non-Goans, similar to the laws in several North-Eastern states? Instead, this government constantly seeks to shrink the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) from 200 meters to 50 meters from the high tide line. Why? To make beachfront property even more attractive to wealthy outsiders.
Why does the government push to exclude 70 villages from eco-sensitive zones? Why is the state’s forest cover diminishing year after year? Why are Goa’s hills being indiscriminately cut, and why are agricultural fields being converted into settlements, with high-ranking officials like the Chief Secretary directly profiting from these changes?
The answers are glaringly obvious: corruption, greed, and a complete disregard for the well-being of Goa and its people.
Stop Blaming the People, Start Holding Politicians Accountable
Goans selling their land is a symptom, not the cause. The disease is the corrupt, unethical, and arrogant leadership—like Alexio Sequeira—that prioritizes their personal profits over the future of Goa. It’s time to stop blaming the common man and start holding these politicians accountable for the devastation they are wreaking on the state.
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