TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Calling on every citizen to vote to revitalize a Secular Republic, the Council of Social Justice and Peace has asked Goans to elect a government that gives all from any caste, religion, or social status equal opportunity of livelihood, freedom of expression as well as a transparent, accountable and participatory governance.
“It is convincingly apparent that the ‘Election Campaign’ even in these first stages, supported by the media, is geared towards the promotion of one individual as if this is a Presidential Election,” Council of Social Justice and Peace has argued that in the above context, some ‘Models of Good Governance’ “presented to society are a myth as they are ridden with lack of transparency, accountability and participatory equality as exposed in various reports.”
Criticizing that that the “winnability factor underlines the choice of candidates in every political party, despite lofty claims” the church body stressed that there was urgent need for transformation of the political system.
“The tendency towards corruption is manifest in the failure of successive Governments to establish people-serving institutions/commissions like the Lokayukta, Information and Minority Commissions,” said the CSJP, pointing out that the minorities “whether ethnic, linguistic, religious or cultural have an equal right in the development of the nation.”
However, the council argued that minorities need to be protected and assisted to work in the mainstream, with “freedom, and without discrimination and fear.” The issue of indigenous people being deprived of their land was also pointed out by CSJP saying that they “who are the undisputed owners of the land, water and forests are being blatantly denied their rights and are, in fact, marginalised and deprived, in favour of communal-corporate interests.”
The CSJP, lamenting that in the past few years the ‘secular spirit’ has been infiltrated by corporate communal forces visible even in Goa and that unfortunately a large number of citizens are lured by materialism, consumerism and greed for power and wealth resulting in a decline in upholding moral and ethical values which are the intrinsic root of human life. It also argued that the secular democratic system was subtly corrupted when senior intelligence and defence personnel, on retirement, join selected political parties professing them to be the only nationalist parties.
“From the peaks of the Himalayas to the waters of the Arabian Sea, the degradation of environment and ecology is sinful, more so because those in power and those able to manipulate power like the industrialists are the cause of various types of destructions like indiscriminate mining, unregulated constructions and polluting industries,” the CSJP said while ending the message to the electorate in Goa.
Meanwhile, BJP Vice President and NRI Commissioner, Dr Wilfred Mesquita reacting to the statement of the Church asking people to vote for secular candidates said, “The Church is correct. People should vote for secular candidates not pseudo secular candidates. In fact Goa will prove to be most secular when in future, it votes for a secular Hindu and South Goa and a secular Catholic in North Goa.”
