SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
Vishal Chodnekar
While on one end you have people being neglected and left to fend for themselves in pathetically run govt Covid hospitals, the question arises why wasn’t BJP Minister Shripad Naik admitted to GMC? Of course, we wish him all the very best for a fast and full recovery. The question every Goan asks is about the differential treatment.
Why the difference of treatment for common people of Goa and VIP’s?
• Are people’s lives not valuable? Or does it mean they don’t have the required facilities or are the doctors in there incapable to treat the patients?
• How many local Goan’s have been given plasma treatment?
• Or is the Covid hospitals primary job only to rake in the money from central kitty by continuing to increase the numbers as the virus spreads unchecked in a small state like Goa.
• A small state usually is expected to be better managed.
• Herald recently exposed mass irregularities and inflation of prices of essential supplies procurement to fight Covid.
Who is accountable for this decision making and governance?
Looking at the way things were going in other parts of the world, the initial lockdown (the lockdown itself was horribly managed) could have been used to prepare for the worst. However, our state administration was busy focused on increasing the membership of the party, cutting forests and other green zones, illegal land conversions & property buying spree. Now, finally, we intend to setup a ward to treat co-morbid patients. Shouldn’t this have been a top priority and the first thing that must have been done, considering that they were the most vulnerable? Hasn’t the purpose of state expense funded through District Mineral Fund entirely defeated the purpose of creating the fund in the first place?
The BJP believes in the following principles - Nation First, Party Next, and Thyself Last.
This principle has a fundamental flaw - the 'Party' in this chain of priorities. So where does the common people of Goa and India fit in these principles? They either don't or are they not meant to be? Like being relegated to third grade citizens, meant to be used only to push the button every 5 years to elect the very party to power.
What should the order of priorities be?
Welfare of the Nation/State, welfare and wellbeing of the people you serve and thyself last
The welfare of 'Party' is irrelevant. This is a fundamental flaw, and this will lead to a total collapse of the party for the very reason it exists. Good and capable individuals need to flourish, and NOT PARTY. If the 'Party' promotes incapable individuals, then people should & will search for alternatives. The 'Party' is irrelevant. Who cares as long as commoners get a good administration? If people practice this during elections (rather than voting on religious, caste, tribe, monitory benefits), then, political parties will be forced to change their operating policies.
People are supreme, NOT PARTY or an Individual. People demand a good administration. Does not matter which 'Party' provides the bare minimum they deserve.
Goa BJP in perspective: The Goa BJP seems to have completely reversed the order and even adding in a few interesting points.
Thyself first: It appears the ruling dispensation in Goa works only for themselves. Rampant corruption at all levels of bureaucracy. Illegal conversion of green zone and environmentally sensitive areas and massive land grab inside & outside state.
Party next: The mission of state administration appears to be not governance or wellbeing but to increase the clout and numbers of the party at all cost. Does not matter if individuals with questionable backgrounds are inducted into its fold.
Nation/State Last: Monitory profits/benefits at all cost. Destruction of environmentally sensitive areas, promotion of unsustainable and polluting industries, systemic issues over delivery of public services, Health services & law and order issues and mass unnecessary expenditure on projects of least priority (probably to facilitate more corruption).
You can find a place in the chain as long as you are a member of the party. If not you are left to wander and fend for yourself. If you speak against their actions or policies, you will be labeled. If you spread awareness on social media platforms, the group admins will be held accountable, indirectly forcing people to fall in line or get booted. They know what is best for you and you will have to abide by it. If they give you crappy leadership, you will have to blindly accept and gulp it down. If people within the party are not spared, where do the commoners stand?
Instead of changing the CM they changed the Governor. Now, it’s time to change the govt. Gauging the mood of the people of the state on social media, it appears that time has come for BJP Mukt Goa.
#PowerToThePeople
#BJPMuktGoa
