Polls 2022: Instead of Goan youth, IPAC employing several hundred Bengali, Tamil and Hyderabadi youth in Goa

PANAJI: The Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), which is managing the back office, social media, IT, logistics and media requirements for Mamata Banerjee’s All India Trinamool Congress party (TMC) in Goa has brought in several hundred semi and non-skilled (apprentices and trainees) from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad into the coastal state for the polls.

More than a 1000 youth from different states are stationed in Goa and working for the IPAC, which pays them a salary each month. Boarding or accommodation and food is also provided by the IPAC at their expense.

The number of outstation workers employed by the IPAC, is expected to increase to 5000 as the election date draws closer.

Speaking to a select group of newspersons in Panaji on Wednesday, social and tribal activist Darshana Saxena said these jobs are the moral right of Goan youth.

Saxena who has been working with tribals like the Vanarmares (Makadmare tribe) in Nirankal, Dhangars and other dwellers in Goan forests for the last few years, said tribals in Goa, are begging for employment, while political parties like TMC import thousands of workers from other states.

She demanded that all political parties seeking to contest elections in Goa must employ (paid workers) at least 95 percent Goan youth. While parties normally bring in their karyakartas (party workers) from other states in the weeks preceding elections, such workers are not normally paid salaries, but only provided local transportation, food and lodging facilities by the party concerned.

However, IPAC has hired workers like a corporate company and it is the right of Goan youth to get preference when it comes to such jobs.

Goans should outright reject political parties who bring in paid labour (both skilled and unskilled) from other states. Our Goan youth do not have jobs. Unmployment is at an all time high. What governance can a political party from outside the state give Goa, when it imports thousands of workers from outside, ignoring Goans, Saxena demanded.

Goans who have joined the TMC like Luizinho Faleiro must walk the talk and practice what they preach. They must insist upon the TMC high command to employ Goan youth instead of outsiders, Saxena stated.