Why the hurry to demolish church?
Christians in our country are deeply disturbed and hurt over the demolition of Little Flower church in south Delhi. The priests of the church say that not even one day’s notice was given before the Delhi Development Authority sent police and bulldozers to turn the church into a heap of rubble with religious articles and the tabernacle inside and that too before the Court had completed the hearing.
AAP says that DDA comes under the Central Govt and that Delhi Govt is not involved in it. Congress spokesperson says that both Central and State governments are responsible for it while the BJP is silent and watching with a tongue in the cheek.
Christians in our country and especially in Goa want to know why no notice of demolition was given and why the hurry to demolish a peaceful church before the court gave its verdict. All Christians should unite in this cause till justice is done.
Let us hope that our Christian MLAs in the ruling party in Goa, who always maintain a deafening silence, will find their voice this time and stand with Christians in solidarity.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Free electricity
Are Goans beggars for free electricity, remarked one of my seniors at the freebies offered by Arvind Kejriwal at his visit to Goa while a Church in Delhi was being demolished.
With these freebies at election time, Goenkars can expect anything to happen because enticement always comes before its end result. Added another vigilant: we can expect to be on the roads with these freebies should we not come to our senses in casting our votes diligently. Yes we are diligent honourable Goans, we know what we want and we can fight for ourselves.
As elections come closer we can expect lot of tamasha shows of our zig zaging crazy politicians with vested interest. Let us stay sane and shrewd and uphold the dignity and self respect our ancestors lived with and elect selfless Goenkars to give us good governance and uphold our honour to show the world: we are who we are.
Ayres Sequeira,
Salvador do Mundo
Wait for full-fledged Governor ends
With the swearing in of PS Sreedharan Pillai, Goa finally has a full-fledged Governor. The State had to wait for almost 11 long months but finally the day dawned.
Our new Governor is intellectually very sound and we have high hopes that he would diligently serve the best interests of the State. Governor Pillai from being a student activist went on to be a very successful advocate and has been a prolific writer having authored over 100 books. He has all the legal wisdom and a good academic background to do justice to the Governor’s role.
Constitutionally the Governor possesses executive, legislative, financial and judicial powers. The role of the Governor is very important and essential for the healthy functioning of democracy. It is imperative that the Governors should be truly non-partisan in upholding our Constitution of India at all times.
Let us hope that our new Governor will usher the much needed ray of hope for Goa and Goans by being very pro-active in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities as the Constitutional head of our State which today sadly finds itself enveloped in bad governance and administrative chaos on all fronts. Let us wish Governor Pillai all the very best in serving and protecting what remains of our State which is now at crossroads facing so many issues that remain unresolved.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Ashamed to be part of this nation
This is regarding the demolition of the Little Flower Church in Delhi by the demonic type of people of this planet who are the worst enemies of India and whose only motto in life is to see India split into innumerable pieces. With this demolition can we the minority Christian community trust any more the India’s ruling political party the BJP to give a feeling of meting out justice to the Christians in particular and minorities in general?
I feel ashamed to be a part of this country which is so great, so long and broad and having produced great intellectuals who have not only dazzled the world by their sheer intelligence and excellent oratory in support of India’s stand on Secularism and yet with the silent nod of the higher ups trouble the minorities.
For example, when Swami Vivekananda went to America representing India and Hinduism and addressing the Parliament of the World Religions attended by 7000 sophisticated attendees at Chicago in 1893, said he “I come from the country that build Temples, Masjids and Churches” proving the existence of secularism in India”.
While Dr Francisco Luis Gomes a parliamentarian from Goa went to Europe on his way to Portuguese Parlaiment, told the Europeans that “I come from the country that produced Ramayana and Mahabarata and invented the game of Chess”.
One praised Indian secularism while the other my Goan brother, Dr Francisco Luis Gomes praised India and Indians as a whole without naming any particular community. Are we worthy of the compliments by swami and by the doctor?
A.Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
Explain how poll promises will be kept
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who was in Goa, declared that if voted to power in 2022 Assembly elections, the party will give up to 300 units of free electricity in the state while ensuring 24X7 power supply. He also said that old power bills will be waived off and farmers will get free electricity.
It is a common experience among the citizens that politicians and political parties make tall promises whenever elections are fast approaching. Various political parties come out with the election manifesto which at times promises the electorate the moon. Promises of continuous power and water supply, jobs for the youth, protecting the environment, good roads and other such promises become the order of the day.
However the common experience is that once the political party comes to power or a particular politician is elected, all the promises are forgotten. It would thus be desirable for a politician or a political party to give a brief explanation on how a particular promise will be fulfilled.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Now, let’s see
The Home Ministry has written to all States and UT’s expressing concern over the blatant violation of Covid norms in several parts of the country resulting in an increased ‘R’ factor- reproduction number.
The Home Secretary has asked States to issue strict orders to control crowded places and act against violators and concerned authorities.
In Goa we saw: the wedding at an Anjuna Hotel violating everything in connivance with the authorities. We have seen the order to conduct the CZMP hearing, and timings given for the same and the crowding of transport vehicles had this extended to the given timings. Bridge, Highway works, and other construction activities are going on: early morning one can see pickups carrying workers packed like sardines. Beaches crowded with tourists. Other places?
Now let us see how all act: The ruling BJP, the Collectors, the individual BJP MLAs, the MGP, the Congress, GF, AAP, the Independents etc. The GCCI, the TTAG, the Railways, Kadamba.
Note: the Centre is still not aware of the meaning of airborne and ventilation. Where are the leaders?
R Fernandes, Margao
