This will be the third time that the Manohar Parrikar government is advertising these posts. But the whole exercise will again be a mere eyewash as the Chief Minister has reportedly already made his new choices and the selection process will be just a formality for public consumption.
Is it not an irony that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who had promised a Lokayukta in 100 days has been unable to even get the State Information Commission operational over the last two and a half years.
While on one side promising to toil for Special Status for Goa and expressing concern about the uncontrolled migration into Goa, the same Chief Minister had the audacity of importing into Goa last October Leena Mehandale as the Chief Information Commissioner. Despite there being so many qualified Goans for the post, Manohar Parrikar chose Leena Mehendale whose only credentials were her very close connections with the Sangh Parivar. All orders being passed by her are anyway illegal as the High Court has already ruled that the State Information Commission has to be a multi member body and cannot be a one man show.
While as the Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar had regularly used the RTI Act but he is now working overtime to scuttle it as the glaring acts of omission and commission of his government have been coming to light. Narendra Modi as the Gujarat Chief Minister was against Lokayukta and RTI, in Goa Manohar Parrikar has now followed in his Guru’s shoes.
All through the election campaign of the recent Lok Sabha elections and now as Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has to date not said a word on the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal. This is a matter of grave concern. All we can presume is that there will be no ‘Ache din’ for transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Sudin should resign
In his recent comical outburst Goa’s highly incompetent PWD Minister – who along with his brother and party align with any Govt that offers them lucrative ‘money spinning’ portfolios – said that his CM had dealt with massage parlors.
The minister also expressed reservations and preached his unwanted homily against dress code and pubs for Goan girls in sync with Muthalik’s Ram Sene logic…but it is alleged that this ‘minister’ whose PWD dept. has seen worst roads in the state with many citizens losing their lives due to road accidents should first take a look at his own conscience and then talk…least of all induce some non-identity to file an FIR against a NRI Goan, Savio Almeida…not so long ago, this same Minister was seen with other MLAs enjoying a spa opening…is this not double standards of the higher order?…Shame on you Dhavlikar…you should resign or your CM should chuck you out of the cabinet with immediate effect…there is no place for ‘Maharashtrawadis’ like you in Goa and its cabinet.
Cedric da Costa, Margao
RIP Muthalik!
Hopefully the issue of Muthalik coming and setting base in Goa has finally been laid to rest after much heated debates. Hope Muthalik has now realised that he and organisations like his have no place in our peaceful state. I hope this will also serve as an eyeopener and that such meetings will not be held again in Goa. As enshrined in the preamble of our Constitution this country is also a secular Republic. The so called ‘ Hindu Organisations’ that met in Goa recently were asking to change all that and declare India as a ‘ Hindu Rashtra ‘ , which if done automatically will mean that the minorities will have to shed many of their rights and be relegated to second class citizens.
The problem is that these rightwing groups have got encouraged knowing that their RSS backed party has got absolute majority so they feel they can say and do whatever they want.The Chief Minister should not forget that Goans voted for those MLA’s supporting his government with assurances that these fanatics and communal outfits won’t be allowed into Goa. In future these Rightwing organizations should not be allowed to conduct their meetings and create tension in our peace loving state where all communities live in total harmony . I hope this will be their last convention in Goa!
Napolean A.D’Souza, Saligao
‘Self-accident’
It is observed that whenever only a single vehicle is involved in a road accident, which at times could be a fatal one, the police are quick to describe it as a ‘self accident’ which makes the one involved in the accident solely responsible for it. But then there could be various possible reasons for the accident and it could have been avoided.
The accident could have taken because of one of the following reasons among others. It could be because of the pot-holes on the roads, unpainted speed-breakers, no proper road-signs, dangerous curves, dangerous road-conditions, no proper lighting of the roads, etc. Besides describing an accident as a ‘self-accident’ the police should also mention the possible reason for the accident and bring it to the notice of the authorities concerned. These authorities should in turn rectify the condition of the road which led to the accident so that they are prevented from occuring in the future.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
