Are our MLAs caged parrots?
Going through the responses (published by O Heraldo dated June 17), from Goa’s MLAs and Ministers regarding Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s defiant proposal of wanting to make a film, titled ‘Goa Files’ on the Inquisition conducted during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, it was clear that we have two classes of MLAs. One class of MLAs such as Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Altone D’Costa, who have independent minds and are willing to give their responses without fear and hesitation, while other class of MLAs and ministers who are part of BJP or the government, who have to exercise immense amount of caution, before they make any statement on certain issues that are close to BJP. They have limited freedom to express their minds openly as if they are caged parrots. Even BJP’s catholic MLAs such as Nilesh Cabral, Babush Monserrate and Rudolf Fernandes, who are otherwise quite vocal and expressive, reacted vaguely, when O Heraldo tried to confront them and elicit their responses.
It’s clearly an indication of what to expect in future, from Christian MLAs when they are faced with tough and controversial issues affecting their Christian supporters while they have to make their ‘stand’ known to them.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
Fee hike in tourism events a dampener
Ahead of the upcoming new October tourism season, the state government has reportedly hiked the fees for organizing music festivals by almost 50 to100 percent depending on the attendees. The revised fee structure is for both major and minor tourism-related events. The tourism department has also said that all the fees will be revised by 10 per cent annually with effect from April 2024. It is learnt that besides the music festival fees have been hiked for handicraft bazaars, motorbike festivals, car rallies, exhibitions, and other tourism-related events such as youth festivals.
However what comes as a big surprise is that fees have been hiked for non-ticketed music events also. Goa has been a favourite wedding destination. It is learnt that the fees for destination weddings has been hiked from the present Rs 6,000 to a whopping Rs 50,000. This may keep couples from other states, belonging to the middle-income group, away from having a ‘dream destination wedding’ in Goa with the exception of the very rich. The hike in the fees of the various tourism-related events could be a dampener for the organizers. While hiking the fees for the major events the department could have spared the minor tourism related events from the fee hike. The government could have a relook in the fee structure of minor tourism related events as also for destination weddings.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Long live Hindu-Christian-Muslim unity
A bunch of non-Goan individuals belonging to different right-wing organisations from India (including some from abroad) are believed to be taking part in the ongoing 11th edition of the annual All India Hindu Rashtra Convention, at Ponda, to discuss the same old issues of love jihad, religious conversions, cow slaughter etc and this time also to discuss about the need for making a film called ‘Goa Files’ (on the lines of controversial films such as ‘Kashmir Files’ and ‘The Kerala Story’) to show some exaggerated imaginary inhuman atrocities committed by the Portuguese during the infamous ‘Inquisition’ with the sole intention of desperately dividing Goans on religious lines, in the long run.
Hey, can’t these individuals discuss some good things about Hinduism to really bring people of all faith together, instead of wasting their most precious time on discussing in detail on how to disturb the centuries old communal harmony of this state, raising some unimportant, stupid, religious centric past issues and on planning of making some controversial films on Goa’s past history, based on half-baked lies in future to enjoy their own kicks by holding/ taking part in such type of communal hate spreading conventions in a peaceful state such as Goa?
I think that if the individuals who are currently taking part in the All India Hindu Convention at Ponda are really genuine devotees/ followers of Hinduism then they should stop this madness of annually spitting venom against the minorities in the state during such conventions and instead should talk of bringing long lasting peace in society by having some healthy positive discussions in Goa.
Yes, let these individuals first decide to make a film on the present and actual situation of our state, ie about the ongoing murders/robberies/rapes, free-availability of drugs, prostitution, casinos, dance bars, hill cutting/land grabbing activities etc and then make their own film called ‘Goa Files’ to spread their own imaginary lies about Goa’s past history to further their own communal agendas in India/abroad. Long live Hindu-Christian-Muslim unity in the state. Viva Goa, Viva Goenkaar….
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Brave fight against Biporjoy
Even though the severe super cyclone Biporjoy caused heavy disaster and sadly some loss of life in the coastal area of Gujarat, the government definitely needs to be applauded for the precautions, measures and immediate actions taken to reduce the number of deaths and very heavy damage to life and property looking at the might and fury of the storm. Though it did leave a trail of destruction in the region, including flooding inundating low-lying areas the way in which the various authorities, the NDRF, Coastal and Navy and various authorities put up a brave fight is worth praising. The precautionary steps and the measures taken is something that other coastal States can learn from, especially during the monsoon months.
IMD also deserves special mention as it tracked the cyclone throughout giving warning bulletins to be well prepared and thus reduce heavy calamities.
M Pradyu, Kannur
