Since I went to Delhi, some issues lost traction in Goa

In a series of interviews leaders of major political parties speak to Herald-HCN. In the fifth of the series, SUJAY GUPTA spoke to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. Here are excerpts of the interview

HERALD: The opposition has approached these elections with one main charge against you: U-turns.

MP: You go to my 2012 manifesto and show me a single case of U-turn and I will lose anything to you. It is based on the manifesto, manifesto is my promise and I will go by that.

 HERALD: The U-turns have not been on the manifesto alone, but on promises including those made in the Assembly. The promise on removing casinos was made in the Assembly.

MP: For Assembly assurances if there is a time-bound procedure than they should move to the Assembly proceedings. There is an assurance committee which will force the minister to comply. Assembly assurances cannot be discussed in public platform they have to be ensured that they are complied through the Assembly.

 HERALD: What about public assurances assurances, like moving casinos out of the Mandovi.

MP: Yes I have talked in the press that they will be moved out, but we could not find a suitable place I cannot put peoples life in danger so we are working out modalities, by which we take them out.

 HERALD: The decision to keep in abeyance the Regional Plan was purely on a temporary basis. But this has gone for years and we don’t have a proper plan for land protection.

MP: So how do I take care of things that I did not plan at all? I suddenly had huge 25 percent deficit in my reserves due to the mining ban. My time is taken by 80 to 84 legal cases of mining belt. 75 percent time was taken by financial difficulties, and this since I was the Chief Minister. When you say that I will go to Mapusa in 20 minutes, there can be a breakdown of road or truck which will overturn on the road blocking the traffic. Suppose your traffic is blocked, you can’t say that your commitment to go to Mapusa was unfulfilled.

There were hurdles that came into the picture which were not there at the time when the assurance was given.

HERALD: So what you are saying (or rather which truck broke down here?)

MP: Money was a major factor, how do you take care of 25 percent deficit directly? Legal cases came all on my head everyone was firing. Digambar Kamat ate the mining money and I was made to answer for it in the court.

HERALD: But tell me after the Shah Commission report, the Supreme Court judgement came in 2014, after that pending promises could have been fulfilled.

MP: I went to the Defence Ministry so some issues lost traction. I went to Delhi so I cannot keep a track on Goa. It was new ministry for me most of my time was spent in Defence Ministry understanding issues.

HERALD: But you have been controlling Goa from Delhi.

MP: I told you I didn’t have the time in the first year to look into the State I was so occupied to learn about the new issues earlier and after one and a half year probably I have paid some attention. So I don’t understand the logic (of controlling from Delhi). For a politician, for a government, party is a focal point. Party policies are implemented by the government. Government are there to implement the party policy otherwise why should the party candidates be elected. In a party leadership there is a core group, I am part of the core group so what is there If I take part?

 HERALD: You have been talking about getting 24+ seats. On what basis do you say this?

MP: There are two issues to this. First issue is good work done by the BJP government on various fields. You asked me about the about regional plan, I agree. But what about Laadli Laxmi, Griha Aadhar we did, bridges we had said we did, roads we did, sports facilities we did, so if there are 20 items, 15 were done. You’re talking about the five, what about the 15? People realize that the BJP has done 15, others are not even doing two.

 HERALD: Which are the areas you could have done better? Specially on employment creation.

MP: If mining had not stopped, and pressure had not come, employment generation activity would have started earlier and positive outcomes would have been given. Because of the mining the employment policy initiative started only in the third year. It is just taking off and in the coming five years we will complete.

HERALD: Will you handle the Investment Promotion Board differently? Will you see that there’s a greater control over the IPB, which is lacking now?

MP: There has to be a kind of a mechanism, team of good professional people, who will go through every project, who will keep account of every project, work out all the details of the project and will put up a proper recommendation. I think that part has not been properly set. Secondly IPB does not mean that your plan has failed.

HERALD: Goans feel that the basic sense of identity, culture, control over environment, and the surety that Goans interests will be protected  have not been addressed.

MP: These are the same people who sold their land to the Delhi people and now they realize that the land they sold for Rs 300 is worth Rs 10,000. You see who is selling the land. You give a shop to a Goan and after six months they lend it to an outsider because they want an easy lifetime to acquire money.

HERALD: What about land acquired besides that?

MP: (not clear) We have won the case in the High Court now it is in the Supreme Court due to some land dispute.

HERALD: On the issue of the tenancy cases going to the courts and not to the mamlatdar, there has been a lot of resentment over this.

MP: We have said that we are ready to discuss and review about this if the people are filing cases. But after the mamlatdar, the case can go to the next court. But if some people have difficulties we will discuss.

HERALD: Your party president mentioned that a leader will be picked from Delhi. And there is a buzz that you are open to coming back.

MP: The party president has made it very clear if that is the wish of the people, they will surely consider it. The heart always lies in Goa.

 HERALD: Is the party aware of the wishes of the people, according to you?

MP: The president said, they are aware of cadres and MLAs’ demand that the people are asking for me to come back. Since the elections are on, a decision can’t be taken now. After the elections, the new MLAs; parliamentary board is open to taking this decision.

HERALD: But is it for real or is it just posturing before the elections.

MP: It’s not. My party does not do posturing with public sentiments.

HERALD: So was the government not functioning properly that these sentiments are being expressed?

MP: It not comparative. Those who have tasted a more vibrant administration want it again.

HERALD: Isn’t it a reflection of the current leadership?

MP: No. Not necessarily. See the existing chief Minister has done a good job. But people look for something better. Who has stopped them from thinking so.

HERALD:  And the fact that the MGP alliance is not worked out. BBSM is with the MGP, doesn’t that impact you? Firstly if you were there would you have allowed the MGP alliance with you to break?

MP: I can’t say about that (whether he would have allowed the alliance to break). When people think ambitiously they sometimes they act in a very strange manner. MGP has acted in a very strange manner after working very smoothly for four and a half years. They spoiled the thing for the last six months.  Dhavalikar started thinking about becoming Chief Minister. And that’s the end of the story.

HERALD: But you will share power with them?

MP: If I get it why should I SHARE?