We have read about Kings, Queens, Emperors and many other Heads of Nations (HON) to remain in power indefinitely believing that they are doing so, both as duty and responsibility to provide service to their subjects. Perhaps thinking that if they abdicate power, and hand it over to someone else, they may be accused by their subjects that these HON are failing in their sovereign administrative and moral duties towards the nation. For some it is like a “supreme power” granted to them from above, to rule over their subjects and exercise their power and authority until their last breath. Mostly these rulers inherited their position of power and were not easy to remove them from that position.
However CM Parrikar did not inherit such a position of power. In fact he wasn’t even an elected legislator of Goa Assembly when took over the reins of government as CM in 2017, though later he got elected.
Indeed in the last election BJP fared so badly, that to make Parrikar as CM, the party had to cobble up hurriedly a post poll alliance of smaller parties and independents.
Many of the elected MLAs who now are members of his cabinet, had fought bitterly to keep Parrikar’s BJP out and to a large extent had succeeded. But we know that politics is an art of possibles, so eventually BJP formed the government with Parrikar as CM.
Goans do consider Parrikar as an astute politician with excellent academic background. He was even given the powerful portfolio of Defence Minister at the Centre, which he later resigned.
He had also proved his capabilities extensively as a formidable Leader of Opposition. However, as CM of Goa he did not excel much and could not succeed in fulfilling many of the promises made to Goan electorate during the previous election, in spite of his party coming to power.
Again I may point out here, that no one doubts his honest intention to remain in power and serve Goa until he regains his health. The question is whether a CM, who is critically ill and unable to perform actively all duties and responsibilities that fall under his watch, will be able to do effectively justice to Goa? Is he totally indispensable?
Common men in Goa are witnessing how all the official duties of CM are tailor made to suit him in order to accommodate his acts and actions. In fact many citizens seeing him like this are extremely annoyed with BJP, for making mockery of his fragile medical condition.
Even the current Budget Session has been reduced to just three days simply to allow him to present a budget that is just a Vote on Accounts, without any discussion and also to meet constitutional mandate of holding the session before the expiry of six months. Incidentally Parrikar was an ardent proponent of Assembly Sessions of longer duration, so that various issues that affect the people of Goa are debated and discussed seriously by the elected representatives of people and satisfactory solutions are found.
Is the prevailing situation fair and justified?
