TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2024
Constitution Day of India
Constitution Day is celebrated in India on November 26 every year to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India. The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India on November 26, 1949, and it came into effect on January 26, 1950. Previously Constitution Day was celebrated as the National Law Day and this day is also known as Samvidhan Divas. The preamble of the Constitution of India should be well read by all Government Officials to remind them to uphold the key principles of law enshrined in the Constitution.
The Constitutional bodies especially the Election Commission of India, State Election Commission, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Union Public Service Commission, State Public Service Commission, Attorney General of India, Advocate General of State , Finance Commission, National Commission for SCs/ STs and Goods and Service Tax Council are expected to strictly abide by the Constitution by adopting the Constitutional; provisions of their duties as defined in the respective body by maintaining their role towards all citizens of the principles of Equality before Law and protecting the fundamental rights of its citizens and not bend to the interference of political functionaries.
Unfortunately lately there has been a reminder of the dastardly act of the terrorist attack by ten terrorists of a terrorist organization Lashkar – e- Taiba from Pakistan in Mumbai way back in 2008 on 26/11 which takes away the importance of National Law Day. All citizens of India should be proud of our Constitution of India and observe November 26 as the Constitution Day by insisting to follow the same as laid down and not as any other day.
Rui Ferreira, Panjim
CM Sawant should resign
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant as expectedly is still seen displaying complete ignorance over the upcoming controversial Old Goa project despite of seeing widespread protests of Goans over the last few months in Goa.
Thousands of Goans under the banner of Save Old Goa Action Committee had participated in the Mahamorcha near St Cajetan Church recently and had rightly demanded for the immediate demolition of an illegal construction/bungalow coming up within a radius of one-kilometer buffer zone near the UNESCO World Heritage site of Old Goa. The said illegal structure is believed to be constructed by a political functionary of the ruling BJP in the protected areas of Old Goa, due to which Dr Pramod Sawant-led BJP government is still seen trying to turn a blind eye and refusing to take any action against the said upcoming illegal construction.
The one thing I know is that most BJP leaders (the original ones who have been brainwashed in RSS 'shakas' and told to erase the past history of Goa on a quiet to bring back some fictitious past glories of this state) want to systematically wipe out all traces of Portuguese culture and due to which are currently slowly seen deliberately allowing their own people to set up their illegal structures at such historic sites of Old Goa despite of knowing full well that Goan Catholics regard this place as a most holy place in Goa.
If Dr Sawant, despite of being a Chief minister cannot respect the past history of our state and protect such historical sites of Old Goa then what he will protect Goa? I therefore personally feel that if CM Dr Sawant is a true son of Goa then he should immediately revoke all permissions/licences given to the controversial owner and get the above mentioned project coming up at the historic site of Old Goa fully demolished at the very earliest leaving his politics/divisive ideology behind or else should gracefully resign. Hope better sense prevail.......
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Sunburn naka
In a pragmatic decision, the CM declined permission for holding of the EDM festival Sunburn this year though the relevant file was cleared by the tourism minister and sent to him for final approval.
Goa is just about coming out of the woods as regards the Covid situation with only 236 active cases remaining, any mass gathering of this scale with lacs of visitors coming from across the world would undo all the good work and sacrifices of our Corona warriors and might very well become the trigger for the dreaded third wave. There has been an outbreak of the contagion in majorly vaccinated Europe, America and Israel with Austria, Netherlands, Norway and Latvia resorting to reimposition of total lockdown to contain rampaging mutant strains of the virus.
Though the festival provides good business to the state and is an image enhancer, now is not the right time to think of profit and loss ; saving Goan lives is paramount. As of now only @ 60% of the state's eligible population has been fully vaxxed, that still leaves 40% outside of the safety net; hopefully all denizens shall be covered by February next year. We may look at granting permission for EDM festivals then, as things stand today vax takes precedence over beats.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
Bureaucracy slowly losing its values
Most of the aspirants wish to say that they are keen to become part of bureaucracy to 'serve the public'. There are honest and hardworking bureaucrats in the services whose path-breaking initiatives have touched the lives of many. But for some, bureaucracy has become a synonym for incompetence, corruption and inefficiency. In some cases, the bureaucracy has lost its conscience and grit to stand for the right cause. Under the political clouts those who dare to speak the truth to power will not be spared.
The Civil Services, who were once regarded as the Iron Frame of India by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel have gone astray. Today it is a pale shadow of its halcyon past when officers of high intellectual calibre, personal integrity, and the brio to give unbiased advice. The organisational structure of Indian bureaucracy is hugely undemocratic and short of any accountability. The functioning of the legislature had left a lot to be desired. Bureaucrats who try to change the system suffer harassment like Ashok Khemka, who had shown the courage to take on Vadra and DLF.
A bureaucrat cannot afford to be inefficient but has to be aware, accessible, disciplined, and above all, transparent. The issue is not the survival of bureaucracy. The bureaucracy has to thrive, in the interest of our country and our people.
K.G Vilop, Chorao
Bonanza time for voters
The time for bonanza for innumerable voters is come now in the form of cash which will be doled out to these voters by their contestants contesting the coming election. In my area each house is assessed and the amount for each house is fixed as Rs 5000 or every voter will be paid Rs 1000. This is as per the information I gathered.
According to me nobody should miss this opportunity to get this dole but nobody should vote for these bribers for this amount though at the time of receiving this bribe money this amount looks big but it is not big compared to what they collect illicitly thru your precious vote. The value of your vote is much more than what he pays you. And this money what he gives you is not from his pocket but collected thru illicit means. Hence, one should vote only according to his conscience and not as per bribe money one gets.
As the late Dr Jack Sequeira once said “accept the money that you are given but never vote for these “Chors” who give you the bribe should be our decision”. To bribe the poor voters is the job of third grade contestant and unfortunately we have this category more as our representatives.
A.Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
