Panaji, 25 July 2025:
Fatorda MLA and Goa Forward Party President Vijai Sardesai today exposed what he called the biggest land scam in modern Goa’s history, a ₹50,000 crore scam involving the wrongful use of 50 lakh square meters of land originally granted under Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070, dated 15 April 1961. This land, granted by Goa’s first Chief Minister Bhausaheb Bandodkar, was meant to create employment and promote industrialization. Instead, the BJP government is now enabling its conversion into settlement zones, blatantly violating the original purpose and spirit of the law.
Speaking in the Assembly, Sardesai grilled Revenue Minister Babush Monserrate, demanding answers on how this land, protected under law, is being handed over for real estate profiteering. He questioned why Sanads (land use permissions) are being issued, despite the Advocate General’s advice reportedly not supporting such conversion, alternative legal opinions are being sought just to push this scam through. Sardesai revealed that the remaining Sanads are pending only due to private disputes over payments, confirming the commercial intent behind the move.
Calling this the largest land grab in Goa’s post-Liberation history, Sardesai demanded that the Government revoke all illegal permissions and give a clear assurance that no further Sanads will be issued. “This is a betrayal of the Goan people. Goa is not for sale, and we will not allow our land and future to be looted by corrupt deals,” he declared.
