Now that Congress has a dynamic President in Girish Chodankar, would it still continue to remain a passive opposition waiting for Manohar Parrikar to remain in power as the CM of Goa, after he returns from the USA in June, is a million dollar question. Chodankar has already sent signals that Congress, under him is ready to take upon Governance of Goa, should the majority of the MLAs decide so, since the people of Goa had mandated the Congress to govern in March, 2017. Girish Chodankar is ambitious, hardworking and confident to take up the new challenges.
For us in Goa we have the political opportunists, expecting the BJP government in Goa to fall under its own weight and give these opportunists, the chance to rule the State of Goa.
The Congress party is not proactive. They are a lazy lot, disunited and they expect the voters and the anti-incumbency wave against the BJP to put them back in power.
The political opportunists in Goa, specifically the 17 legislators, elected on the Congress ticket in March of 2017, waited with open mouths as constitution morally expects, for the Governor of Goa, who is a “BJP nominated-authority” to have bestowed power to the Congress party! During the one year wait, Viswajit Rane defected from the Congress to the BJP and Manohar Parrikar skillfully stitched up a “kichdi government” which strangely, still continues to rule Goa in spite of BJP having only 12 legislators in the House, far less than the mandatory 21 MLA required to form a stable government for any single party. Let me recall sternly the fortune always favours the brave in politics specifically. Politics and morality are two different things. The age-old adage clearly spells out that politics is largely the refuge for scoundrels. In politics there are no permanent friends or foes, it is the “permanent interests” of those who are elected that matters. Sadly for the political opportunists within the Congress party, their main individual interest is, that they individually should be in the Chief Minister’s chair.
It is not amusing to read in local newspapers that Congress leaders, specifically the Congress ex-chief ministers as well as Babu Kavalekar the leader of opposition, crying foul stupidly and shouting, saying that the BJP is denying funds to the Congress elected MLAs and their constituencies! In the same breathe Kavalekar does not want to destabilize the BJP. Babu Kavalekar seems to be a confused Congress man. As a result of inactions by the Congress legislators. Sadly, Goa is governed by minority government, thrusted upon the Goan voters and the citizens; without a mandate! Have we forgotten about the “Humpty Dumpty” governments from the 1990-2000 and even beyond in Goa.
We must learn from history as to how power is acquired in politics. Politics in Goa was always beyond ethics. Francisco Sardinha, Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro, Willy D’Souza and Dr Jack Sequeira were victims of power manipulations. Goans would remember even in the nineteen sixties, the erstwhile CM Dayanand Bandodkar split the United Goans Party to stabilise his own personal power and left Dr.Jack Sequeira, high and dry by breaking the unity of the opposition in the Assembly and stabilising his minority government.
Why go that far? Have the Congress legislators forgotten that Manohar Parrikar in October 2000 left Francisco Sardinha sucking his thumb, when the latter had gone to Australia on an official tour only for a few days? This is how BJP first came to power. All is fair in love and war and also in politics in India; U-turnism, back-stabbing and blame game has been the order of the Day in Goan politics. These days there is an interesting video being circulated in Goa depicting what Justice Katju, the former Supreme Court Judge had to say of our parliament-functioning and of our parliamentarians, and their credibility. For my readers, who did not see the video and understand what the former Supreme Court Judge said, I explain as under: Earlier, Justice Katju had said over 95% of Indian are “Idiots” and do not deserve Democracy. In this video Justice Katju has clearly spelt our amongst many other views that India deserves a Revolution and all the Parliamentarians be sent home since, with this bunch of Parliamentarians, only shout and do absolutely no business in the Parliament. Only the tax payer’s money is wasted. No political party is above board. “They all are scoundrels and hence a Revolution as bloody as the French Revolution would be needed to improve the lives of the common man” emphasized Justice Katju. As a researcher, I asked for opinion of many, their views on Justice Katju’s observations, and, I can confidently declare that almost all, with whom I interact, unanimously declared that Justice Katju was right in his observations. Rape of Goa by mining and adversities due to coal dust, mounting garbage sewage, etc. is affecting our quality of lives in Goa. Girish Chodankar must address the issues of unemployment and promote farming in Goa.
In Goa, also all the legislators are considered as parasites who do not work for the interests of the people but connive with “vested interest” against public interests. Mining dependents, taxi dependents, casino dependents and those depending on tourism, gambling, liquor trade together with our corrupt politician’s loot and destroy Goa with scams. Farmers, fishermen skilled labourers and the common man of Goa is suffering. Is it not the time for a Goa Revolution? If not now then when?
Girish Chodankar cannot afford to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. Either the new President has to work for the poor farmers adversely affected by mining dust and rejects or run to Delhi with BJP hounds who are out to destroy Goa by drying out the Goa’s water table by unscientific mining.
