SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
A few weeks back, we nearly saw a repeat of the sordid episode, which we witnessed three years ago, when a group of ten Congress MLAs, crossed over to the BJP, without incurring disqualification. To everyone’s surprise, the High Court concurred with that view, thus motivating an encore, which, however, fell through for want of required number.
Power and money have corrupted our society in such a big way, that today hardly anything can be done or achieved without both or either of them. We need to acknowledge that it is next to impossible for politicians to be honest and win elections without the use of money power and hence upright people ether refuse to contest or fail to win. The result is that tainted people get elected or get corrupted while in position. Eventually, with threats and swords hanging on their heads for wrongdoings committed, they are an easy prey to those who use the so-called independent agencies like ED and CBI to force them into submission.
The BJP has mastered the art of poaching MLAs either to dislodge established Governments, where it failed to come to power, or to strengthen its own, where the CM does not feel comfortable with some of his cabinet colleagues and wishes to drop them at the first available opportunity. It happened in Goa in 2019. If it succeeded in breaking a powerful regional party like the Shiv Sena, where we thought it wouldn’t dare, it will surely try its stunts, in Bihar and West Bengal and later in South India, where it has failed so far to make any inroads. Maybe the ED or CBI is now on its way to Bihar. With the success it has achieved in bulldozing legislations, without allowing any discussion, due to brute majority it enjoys in Lok Sabha, the BJP’s objective of destroying the Opposition or making it ineffective is coming to fruition.
The harassment, raids and arrests by the Government, ED and CBI would have been appreciated, were they not done selectively against politicians from Opposition, while absolving those joining the BJP, as it has happened even in Goa, where one Minister has a case which was filed by the late CM Manohar Parrikar and another who was publicly castigated by CM Sawant himself just weeks before he could embrace him into the Party. Their cases are dragging in Goa Courts.
That BJP singles out political opponents for harassment to force them to its side, sparing, however, its own, was confirmed by one of its own MLAs in 2019. Harshwardhan Patil, a former MLA from Indapur in Pune District, who had shifted from Congress to BJP, confessed that he was getting “sound sleep” and there were “no inquiries” after he joined BJP. Only in Noida, an exception was made when a BJP leader’s illegal encroachment was razed by Yogi’s administration, in reprisal for his misbehaviour with a lady. BJP MPs and MLAs making highly communal and provocative statements, get away with them.
In Goa, pressure is surely mounting on the two Congress tainted chief motivators to hurry up with defections or face the consequences. Hence, and also because rewards are high, they are likely to happen. Though the BJP doesn’t need them, the aim could possibly be to drop at least one Minister, who seems to be singling out an ex-colleague for harassment and was in the race for Chief Ministership.
Pressure and protests against proposed defections must continue with all the vigour and strength they deserve, though they may not yield any results. However, no efforts must be spared to send defectors home, in case of by-elections, as it happened in last Assembly elections.
The Government was trying to impart some training to new MLAs in a five star hotel. It was boycotted by some of them. Since the Government is not in a position to preach any morality to new MLAs, let us hope it was not meant to teach Opposition MLAs how to jump ship, as BJP has acquired expertise in this field. Most new MLAs from the Opposition, however, took the Government to task, in the last Assembly session, raising relevant issues and critical of serious matters concerning Goa and Goans, leaving the Government sometimes without proper or evasive answers. However, with an insensitive and paralytic Government in power, neither we nor the MLAs themselves, are aware of steps the Govt proposes to address and redress the issues. Except in case of Zuari land, where the CM agreed to keep the sale deeds on hold, I could not see any assurances coming forth. However, it was obvious that the Govt was at the receiving end, as unlike his usual self, the CM was more composed and less arrogant.
It is strange that Ministers could even raise their heads, for it is shameful that almost every Government project is substandard and collapsing like the Atal Setu bridge, three-month-old newly resurfaced roads, retaining walls, etc. Three linear projects, coal transportation, encroachment on private land by Railways, the corruption angle at Kala Academy, the forgeries and land grab are some other issues, which concern us but not the Government.
We can’t expect an examination of conscience because this perhaps doesn’t exist anymore. But, as responsible and honest citizens, we do expect accountability for public money spent and a sagging exchequer cannot afford such wasteful expenditure. I dare say that except for roads and bridges meant for transportation of coal and connecting to Mopa, this Government cannot boast of anything worth the name being done in Goa. This Government will go down as one which crawls before the Centre and is here only to do their will and not of the Goans.
(The author is a
retired banker)
