Much water has flown down the various canals or sewage facilities or water treatment plants which have been or will be re-energised and activated due to the Japanese funded water and sewerage project commonly known as the JICA project – the synonym coming from the source of its funding – the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project though has made the Congress, which was just about raising its head above the water to resurrect itself from the morass it finds itself, go under, with first Churchill Alemao and then its former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat summoned to the Crime Branch with both, almost certain to be arrested in the JICA bribery scam.
The evidences against both are mounting. The Crime Branch in a razor sharp operation, for which they must be commended, irrespective of the motives which determined this rocket type speed, have a buffet of proof, which has been augmented with recorded statements of 15 odd ex officials of Louis Berger, some of whom have, Crime Branch sources tell us, deposed that illegal gratifications were handed out to Mr Kamat and Mr Alemao on four different locations across the State.
It is important to support the investigation, simply for the sake of acknowledging that perhaps for the first time ever in the history of Goa, politicians of the profile of Mr Kamat are close to being arrested on a serious bribery charge, as opposed to being sent to jail for slapping a junior engineer, tough the latter too deserves punitive punishment. However for the sake of fair play, Mr Kamat must be given an opportunity to be heard and give his side of the story. Mr Kamat of course has maintained the hands off story taking the line that decisions were not taken by him but by a series of committees built into the logistical grid which determines the award of these contracts.
However the tremors of La Affaire Kamat and Alemao, will be felt strongly by the Congress, which has strangely done nothing to defend its former Chief Minister. And while it can continue to play ostrich and hope this storm will pass, that is unlikely to happen. Churchill Alemao may not be a Congressman anymore but that is hardly a cushion. And if he knows that he will be taken down, he like his officer Wachasundar, will spare none. And Digambar Kamat is their sitting MLA.
The Congress’ non reaction to the summons to Kamat and Alemao, except saying, when it is forced to, that it is a case of political vendetta, is bad strategy. The party doesn’t have the luxury of distancing itself from its former Chief Minister. What it should have done though is call a joint meeting of the GPCC and the legislature party and focus the entire attack on the manner in which major contracts are awarded and consultants chosen. While it will be burnt in the fire of this information, it will manage to drag BJP onto the same playing field. The fact that this triggered from a litigation and investigation in the US and not an independent act of probity by the Goa government is not lost to anyone. But the Congress doesn’t seem to have found this argument strong enough to up the ante on this.
What clearly is evident is that there is no united strategy of the Congress party and legislature party to handle this in the House and out of it. There is a strong likelihood that the BJP, which has used the Louis Berger bribery scandal to its complete advantage, will use it to offset opposition plans in the assembly session. Suddenly the focus has moved from issues like the betrayals and U-turns of the BJP on the Regional Plan, the Medium of Instruction, the shocking decision to allot GIDC land to the Defence forces for its air show and the Tiracol Golf Course and Villa Project, to the Louis Berger scam.
The Congress has not yet come to terms with the larger fallout of this. After three years, Goa was on the verge of realising that the BJP rule of failed promises and the silent divisiveness it has started creating was a bigger burden than even corruption. While there can be absolutely no endorsement of corruption, the image of two former Congress leaders on the verge of going in on bribery charges, gives BJP a very strong handle against corruption, irrespective of what its track record of governance has been.
The ruling party has thought quicker on its feet on the Louis Berger bribery scandal while the Congress has been caught confused and fumbling.
