More than 15,000 non-Goans presently in Goa for election work, Lokhancho Ekvott wants CM, SEC to urgently intervene

PANAJI: The Lokhancho Ekvott, Goa has taken a serious note of the fact that more than 15,000 non-Goans are presently working or campaigning in the coastal state for the new-entrant political parties and are being paid a monthly salary or stipend by certain agencies entrusted by the political parties.

Out of the approximately 15,000 workers in Goa, nearly 10,000 people are brought in by the Trinamool Congress, claim sources.

In January next year, in the run-up to the Goa State Assembly elections, an additional 15,000 non-Goans are expected to enter the state for election work, taking the total number of non-Goans involved in poll campaigning to more than 30,000, the Lokhancho Ekvott warned, adding that this is a very dangerous trend which must be stopped.

The Lokhancho Ekvott has written to the State Election Commission as well as the Goa Chief Minister demanding police verification of all the non-Goans who have been brought into the state for campaign work.

“In each constituency of Goa, there are a minimum of 500 non-Goans who have taken up residence and are presently working for certain political parties.

It has come to our notice that these persons are trying to make aadhar cards and voter cards by presenting their house rent agreements/leave and license agreements as address proof. Goans should not rent out their premises without proper police verification of these tenants,” Lokhancho Ekvott spokesperson Hilda Colaco warned.

“We want to ask the Chief Minister if these agencies bringing in ‘workers’ are registered with the state government authorities. While Goan youth are jobless, thousands of non Goans from West Bengal, Hyderabad, Gujarat and Bihar are given jobs in Goa by agencies which are not registered with the Goa government. In case of any law and order situation, who will be responsible for the conduct of outstation workers,” Colaco demanded to know?

The Lokhancho Ekvott will wait for action by the SEC and the Goa government for 10 days and then move the Bombay High Court at Goa, praying for appropriate directions in the matter, Colaco said.