MARGAO: These Independent and Goa Vikas Party MLAs from minority Salcete are indeed facing a testing time — nearly two years and half after they rode to power against the backdrop of strong anti-Congress sentiments around Salcete countryside. The sudden re-emergence of the D company of the Dhavalikar brother ministers, with a barrage of statements, topping off with Deepak Dhavalikar one on his support for India as a “Hindu rashtra”, has deeply embarrassed these Catholic MLAs who are supporting the government, with Avertano Furtado in the cabinet.
The writing in the wall seems clear for these Salcete MLAs supporting the Parrikar dispensation. Alarm bells have started ringing for these non-BJP and non-Congress MLAs supporting the Parrikar government if one goes by the mood at the Sunday gram sabhas at Varca and Rachol and sentiments expressed by the clergy at the Sunday Masses.
On one hand, the Congress is no longer as big a Pariah they had become in Salcete though it doesn’t have any organisation or leadership for a revival., What is making matters worse for these Independent and Goa Vikas Party MLAs from minority Salcete are the controversies courted by the Dhavalikar brothers on the their demand on banning women from wearing bikinis on beaches, the pub culture and on their backing for a Hindu rashtra and equally damaging statement by Deputy Chief Minister, Francis D’Souza on saying he was a Hindu-Christian.
Expectedly, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado or Goa Vikas Party chief Mickky Pacheco or MLAs Caitu Silva or Benjamin D’Silva have all distanced themselves from the Dhavalikars. They have conveyed their sentiments to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is believed to have assuaged their feelings by saying that his government does not agree with the controversial statements.
They, however, are aware of the stark reality that the controversies kicked up by the ministers have hurt the sentiments of their constituents. They know for sure that the ground reality does not augur well for them at a time when development is taking place in their constituencies at a snail’s pace.
Benaulim MLA, Caitu Silva admitted that the statements by the Dhavalikar brothers and the Deputy Chief Minister have not gone down well with his voters. “What the two brothers have said is wrong. And, we do not agree with them. We should not forget that the Dhavalikars belong to the MGP and not to the BJP”, he said.
The Benaulim MLA says that the wheels of development have virtually stopped moving in Benaulim and accused the government for being hand in glove with the defeated candidates in stalling development. “Why is the government hesitating to arrest the defeated candidates till date”, he questioned.
His GVP chief Mickky Pacheco also sought to distance himself from the controversies. “What the Dhavalikar brothers stated is their personal view and not the government’s stand. I have told the Dhavalikars and the Chief Minister as well that the statements were in bad taste”, he said, while saying that nothing should be done to further vitiate the atmosphere.
Velim Independent MLA Benjamin D’Silva conceded that such controversies will affect him the most, with minorities constituting an overwhelming majority of the electorate. He, however, said that what the Dhavalikars said does not reflect the government’s stand headed by Parrikar. “How can you make India a Hindu rashtra when people from all communities live in the country”, he questioned.
On the development front, Benjamin has again petitioned to the Chief Minister to expedite execution of development projects in Velim. “The Chief Minister has now promised to take up major works within the next one-year-and-half”, he added.
Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado had been quick in condemning the statements made by the Dhavalikar brothers, but is equally aware that these statements have only hurt the sentiments of his constituents. “What Deepak Dhavalikar said was his personal view. I do not agree with what he said on Hindu rashtra. We have conveyed our feelings to the Chief Minister as well. He has assured us that the government does not agree with the Dhavalikars”, he added.
The writing in the wall seems clear for these Salcete MLAs supporting the Parrikar dispensation. Alarm bells have started ringing for these non-BJP and non-Congress MLAs supporting the Parrikar government if one goes by the mood at the Sunday gram sabhas at Varca and Rachol and sentiments expressed by the clergy at the Sunday Masses.
