Looting ‘minister’ and honest citizens
Dr Joe D’Souza’s article ‘Winnability vs Loyalty’ (Herald, November 3) gives detail insight of the present day politics in Goa. It looks as if the minister is appointed only to loot whatever is available in his domain and fill their coffers out of the loot. Few bones are thrown at the voters to ascertain the minister wins in the constituency forever by creating a helpless vote bank without any dignity.
The Health Minister as mentioned in the article has developed a normal and more sophisticated way wherein his proxy contractor provides jobs for the voters and besides pays him kickbacks. The honest citizens are left with no option but just to remain mute spectators.
Kenneth Fonseca, Mapusa
Save Mollem
It’s disturbing to know that deleterious projects are being virtually cleared under the pretext of a better tomorrow keeping the very taxpayers funding these in the dark. Pragmatically, the 240 sq. kilometres of natural beauty which has been housing innumerable species and wildlife over the years is yet to be defiled into just another concrete jungle to satiate the insatiable greed of a few.
Trees are being shoddily cleared off to sedulously feather a few nests having triggered the bottled up aggression of the outraged public which has surfaced through various online petitions and protests carried out across the state of Goa belonging to the Goans, making it all the more reason to do so.
Nashville Dias, St Cruz
Free spirits in birthday suits
A friend called to say that he wanted to come to Goa now that the Covid cases are decreasing and no SOPs are in place. As the mobile connectivity was weak, I heard something about him and friends wanting to go freaking. I suggested Candolim and Calangute beaches and to be careful from the dangerous rip currents. He laughed and said that they wanted to create ripples as they wanted go streaking and not freaking!
Welcome to another kind of tourism, and this is the naked truth. Recently there were two incidents, one in which a model-cum-small time actress was allegedly seen prancing in her birthday suit near a dam. The other is that of a male model-cum-marathon runner who, again allegedly, streaked on a beach on his birthday in the dress he was born with! His proud young wife captured the glorious moment for posterity and supposedly put it up on social media. We need to admire this mid-fifties aged man with streaks of white and grey hairs for streaking and not being afraid of stray cattle and wild dogs on the beach.
The police have taken cognizance of the event, booked the model and suspended the assistant police inspector for not filing the FIR while there are no charges against the male model. Why this discrimination?
Beautiful Goa is known for its free flowing spirits but it appears that there are free spirits who want to come and have a streaking good time. In the past ‘hang out’ meant, “to spend a lot of time in a place or with someone,” but now ‘hang out’ has a whole new connotation. The authorities need to hang their heads in shame and come up with stringent laws.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Stop comparing yourself to God
It is with great shame and disgust to read the statement of the CM comparing himself with God. Only a person who does not acknowledge that God is the Creator and Master of the Universe will make such absurd and weird statements. What is he in front of God. With the strike of His mighty hands, God can put him in his place he deserves.
Do not be under the wrong impression that the power you hold comes from your efforts. God is the driving force for all success. The impossible is possible only with God, and not by you or me. His powers are unlimited. He has his own ways for what and when to give. You and I will not live forever but God is everlasting. For your own reputation, please take your words back and apologise for hurting the sentiments of God fearing people of Goa.
Here I would like to quote these words from the Bible: “For it is by God’s grace that the people have been saved through faith and not by our efforts, but god’s gift, so that no one can boast about it.”
Anselm Baretto, Assagao
Of FIRs muzzling justifiable dissent
It is shocking to note that an FIR has been registered against people peacefully protesting against the railway double tracking project at Chandor.The activists have been booked under harsh clauses of the IPC to deter other concerned citizens against supporting the ‘accused’ on online forums or otherwise.
Is saving our forests a crime, is preserving our biodiversity an offence, is pushing for sustainable development a transgression, is asking questions of an insensitive government villainy?
We are living in a democracy (authoritarian actually) where tearing down our collective future is termed ‘progress’, destruction of our green lungs qualifies as ‘development’ and putting an axe to our own legs passes for ‘growth’.People whose hearts actually beat for Goa are branded felons while the fatcat politicians kowtowing to the centre’s diktat are portrayed as paragons of virtue.
If peaceful protesters are put in the dock for unlawful assembly then the ministers should be the first people to be taken action against for pushing projects whose public benefits are zilch, motives suspect and whose end result is environmental annihilation.
Governmen , please note that those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.The citizenry is not going to be cowed down by your Draconian measures, a tiny flame for justice has been lit, it would soon turn into a raging inferno scorching everything in its path that is bad for Goa.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Novenas and feast of St Francis Xavier
Churches in the world heritage complex of Old Goa opened their doors in September on the feast day of the Nativity of Mary. The churches were accessible to devotees and parishioners and the attendance was strictly monitored. However, the churches remained out of bounds to tourists and the public.
The novenas, leading to the feast of St. Francis Xavier on December 3, are to commence in a few days from now. Thousands of devotees from Goa and the neighbouring states attend these masses which are held in a special enclosure outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus. Devotees come on a walking pilgrimage from other States bordering Goa. Due to the pandemic it may not be possible to hold the novena masses and the masses on the feast day, in the usual manner.
The question that arises is what will be the new normal that will be adopted to celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier this year. Will the novena masses and the masses on the feast day be only telecast live just like the masses at the Basilica are being telecast these days? Will a limited number of devotees be allowed to attend the masses in the Basilica? Will there be online booking for attending the masses during these days?
Some announcements in this regard from the church authorities seem necessary. The huge fair that comes up during these days will obviously be absent this year.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
