May not have created even a tiny ripple in the hard-nosed conscience of the ruling government. But the reason why this forced a man like Ramakant Khalap, to take the Gandhian route of protest, which of course, no one across political lines, can fathom, is utterly painful. It highlights the depths to which basic decency in political discourse and behaviour even among political opponents have fallen. And once again, the former Chief Minister and the current one have been found utterly wanting.
Since 1978, Mr Khalap has been running pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in Mandrem. As a clean politician, he built goodwill, but could not build financial resources. This did not deter him from ploughing funds from his savings, his pensions and even borrow or accept contributions from family members to keep the institutions running. In 2010, he wanted to set up a college and got permission to run courses for a BBA degree. In 2012, when the BJP government came to power, Mr Khalap asked for grants to offer commerce and arts courses. In July 2012 the Parrikar government cleared grants only for a commerce course with a condition that he would enrol not more than 60 students. These grants would be applicable from the year 2013-14.
Then came the shocker. In August 2013 the government withdrew the permission for grants on the ground that the college was within seven kilometres of the government college at Virnoda and- hold your breath – that the college has only 60 students. Remember one of the conditions giving the grants was that the college should have no more than 60. In any case if a college does have less than 100 students, it is presumed that it has raised fees for 100 students and grants are adjusted. But that’s hardly the issue. The distance between Khalap’s Mandrem College and the government college at Virnoda is 23 kilometres not seven. Moreover, three more colleges, which were given grants along with the Mandrem college are all within 6 to 8 kilometers of their nearest colleges. They are Vidhya Prabodini College of Arts & Science belonging to a senior RSS leader, Vivekananda College at Borim, Shiroda and BJP MLA Ganesh Gaonkar’s multi-facility college at Darbandhora. Isn’t it clear how political affiliations have dictated the choice of grants for colleges.
The irony here is that Mr Khalap is from the same constituency of Mandrem, the CM’s constituency. For almost two years, former CM Mr Parrikar promised to “help him” and restore the decision to give grants but never kept his word. Mr Khalap then said that a delegation led by the mandal BJP president of Mandrem who is an executive member of his college, met Mr Parsekar to push for grants which were genuinely needed. Mr Parsekar reportedly rebuffed his mandal president, allegedly saying “Ask Khalap to close down his college”.
Even in politics, a basic degree of decency and good behaviour is expected even among political rivals. Khalap recalls how he, as deputy chief minister had helped give permission to Laxmikant Parsekar’s higher secondary school in Mandrem. The CM and the former CM have displayed extreme pettiness. His calls and text messages have not been answered and his request for appointments not even acknowledged. One must add though that Mr Kahalap isn’t the only victim of this cheapness. Other opposition MLA’s – like Vijai Sardesai for instance – have repeatedly complained how his voice has been stymied in the House and outside. But in Mr Khalap’s case, the government has resorted to political vindictiveness for no reason at all, which has affected the future of students who were given a chance to go to college in a backward area, where there are many drop outs after class 12.
