FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
The people of Salcete and Mormugao, in particular, have taken an aggressive stand against the three linear projects of double tracking from Collem to Vasco, expansion of the National Highway 4A through Mollem and the 400 kv transmission line at Sangod, Mollem. Many of the local MLAs – be it the Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias, Velim MLA and WRD Minister Filipe Nery Rodrigues, Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa and Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha – have expressed their apprehensions over the projects and stood with the people of their constituencies. The MLAs have demanded that the government scrap all the three projects as per the people’s demands.
Cortalim MLA Saldanha has taken a strong stand that she is with the people against double tracking. However, this does not seem to have gone well, neither with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant. The BJP, via party president Sadanand Tanawade, has warned its MLAs of attempts to break the law and order, while Chief Minister Sawant too has said that MLAs can discuss issues with the party president or with him.
The question that arises from this is: why can’t the MLA, elected by the people of the constituency, stand with his or her people fighting for justice? After all, the same people elected him/her for the development of the constituency and to take up their issues at the highest forum of the State. As a representative of his or her constituency, a MLA must voice the concerns on behalf of constituents, represent viewpoints or intercede and assist in problem solving. Also, it is in the interest of the voters that they do not relax but continue to demand both accountability and performance from MLAs, they have elected for five years.
On the other hand, the BJP claims to be a disciplined party and does not allow any room for dissent. However, one has to also see that most of the dissenting voices – apart from Saldanha, are Congress turncoats and not from the cadre and would hardly understand the party regulations. Ask the BJP cadre members about the situation and they will tell you that the MLAs do not have any understanding of the BJP’s rules, regulations and ethics, or what the party stands for. Out of BJP’s 27 MLAs, 13 are Congress turncoats of this term and since they appear to be finding it difficult to keep their support base intact ahead of 2022 election, they have come out in the open against their own party. Frankly, not many of the 13 MLAs feel confident of another term in the Assembly considering the bashing they have been receiving in the 14 months since they shifted loyalty to the saffron brigade. Hence, one can conclude that rather than fighting against the party or being with their people, the MLAs are fighting for their survival.
The incident at Arrossim, wherein the people asked Saldanha to resign and then stand with them, was a fitting example of how the people appear to be in no mood to relent on the double tracking project. In the current circumstances, party president Tanawade and Chief Minister Sawant, instead of speaking of disciplinary action against the MLAs should hold a dialogue with their party members and make them understand the situation or at least listen to their grievances. Also, the BJP could do well if it can scrap the three linear projects opposed by the people, not only in the interest of the State but also in the interest of the party.
