Raul Fernandes
When a publication as old as Herald having had a ringside view of every election ever contested and conducted in Goa at every level, from the Panchayat to the Lok Sabha, has decided to go into the centre of the battle, leaving its ringside perch, there is obviously a strong enough catalyst to do so.
This special Insight goes out more to the readers of Herald. And this is because we as messengers don’t have the luxury to be just laptop and WhatsApp forwarding warriors. The battle to save Goa has to be fought from the small village roads, in urban residential areas, in heritage areas, on the farms, forests and fields. And it has to be fought by each one of us, from the remotest of hamlets to the largest of homes.
If a change is needed, we cannot assume that the same opposition party is capable of being that change
It is wishful thinking that the same party which has been the face of opposition for a decade will be the natural opposition this time too. And that is because parties are ultimately about people, about leadership, about conviction, above all about honesty. A party that had betrayers who left also has betrayers who have stayed back who will show their true face sooner or later. Did you want me or Herald to sit and beat the drums of that party and lead Goa to disaster?
At the same time, we could not have just waited and watched and see Goa slip into the hands of yet another government or formation which to bring more tears to Goans.
Why should we in society be in politics?
Every society needs its right-thinking people to be in politics. Can you afford not to be interested in politics? Politics governs every aspect of life and by not participating in it, you are literally allowing other people to decide on what you can eat, if you have access to health care and medicines and oxygen when you need it. Other people are deciding on whether your race or ethnicity is going to decide if you are a criminal. Every family is its own mini political system. And every member of the family should participate in discussions about their society their town and their state. Politicians make decisions about the whole nation while the people have very little to say.
We cannot just turn up and vote on Election Day. We have to participate on the ground to ensure that not only our own vote but that of so many others count in order to make the right decision for Goa.
Politics is not the property of political parties. It is the property of the people.
I happen to run an institution that has been with the people during its most critical agitations which have given us our own state, our language and our identity. Those who question who I am (what should be asked is what is Herald) should address this question to the people of Goa.
Herald has shaped opinions and led the narrative. In 2012 when there was a narrative for change against the family raj and corruption of the Congress, Herald highlighted that, because it was the people’s narrative. The party most suited to bring that change, the BJP, was voted to power across communities and regions.
In 2017, under Luizinhio Faleiro’s leadership, the Congress was not just within touching distance of power but had already secured the keys to power on the night the results came out. It had a clear majority.
I saw the betrayal of the people’s mandate by the Congress in front of my eyes
I had a ringside view of what was going on. On that night I saw how Congressmen from the Centre, with a job to ensure that the party comes to power, demonstrated the Brutus-isation of the Congress. That night, I saw a modern-day Brutus, plan the assassination of the Congress’ chances of coming to power, just like Marcus Junius Brutus did of Julius Caesar. Luizinho Faleiro was just not allowed to stake a claim to form the government. It was clear that voices within the Congress had match fixed to stop the Congress from forming the government. Their greed was higher than their need to have a good anti-BJP government come to power.
Mr Chidambaram, you are Harvard educated and speak impeccable English. Your AICC colleague did not make a ‘mistake’ as you called it. He struck a deal.
The people of Goa deserve better. They need people’s leaders. They reject dealers.
Mr Chidambaram, your party still appears to have more dealers than leaders. And yet some Congressmen and their band of followers, some of who are my dear friends don’t seem to realise this.
Close to five years later, not much has changed. We have seen and heard promises of tickets to multiple people, asking for obvious things in return, having an understanding with the Congress leaders from Delhi and Karnataka who have no interest in Goa or Goans, and keeping regional forces away from it, so that they could fix more tickets. These are all there for people to see.
Goa wants an honest opposition that would not betray or sell Goa
Herald doesn’t just report news. It takes a stand and justifies it. No right-thinking Goan wants to be betrayed and their mandate stolen. And here I’m totally convinced.
The Congress is not at all confident that irrespective of how many opposition parties are there it will still get the votes of the people to win seats. However, it had no problem when other parties from outside Goa came and started work. It did not cry “vote split” then.
The principal challenger to the BJP CANNOT be the Congress, when it is not even confident that it can take on the BJP irrespective of how many opposition parties are there.
The challenger can only be a party which is trusted in its uncompromising stand against the ruling party at the centre.
But could the Congress have occupied the main opposition space. Yes if it had chosen well.
Did I go to Delhi to meet Rahul Gandhi? Yes, of course
In the meeting, I had a one-point agenda. Ask him to change the current leadership in the party and the legislature. I was direct and specific. Was it my job? Yes, my job as the head of Herald is to articulate the Voices of the people on the paper and outside. After months of writing that the Congress under its current leadership will take the party and Goa nowhere, I decided to take this up at the highest level of the party. You can call this a political move. So be it. This move was for the good of Goa and for the people.
Realisation dawned that neither Rahul Gandhi or P Chidambaram who I met in Goa after that, was at all interested in making strategic changes to the organisation and its leadership to make it battle-ready. It was clear that they were preparing to bring the BJP back to its power through its own weakness, that is when I realised that the cosy match-fixing between the ruling and the so-called principal challenger had to be called out.
Herald is guided and judged by its readers. We are also answerable to you and that is a relationship and responsibility we have maintained.
My close personal relationships over the years with many politicians across parties and people on multiple sides of the political divide are well established. But my readers are my family. Herald and I have the right to make a decision that we feel is best for them and Goa, knowing that one can’t please everyone. And we go with these decisions on the strength of conviction and put ourselves to test. We are ready for this test.
It is with this sense of responsibility that we have explained this stand. For the people of Goa, more than parties what matters is pro-people governance.
We do not back parties. We back ideas and we back decisions that deliver for the people
If the ruling party has not been able to give good governance, the people must unitedly decide which is the best alternative to bring about change. And only one strong alternative works. The Congress has shown that it is incapable of being that alternative of a strong party with a proven record comes into the picture.
Decisions need to be taken for the sake of Goa. And for that one needs to do more than one’s job. One needs to do one’s duty. And Herald and I are doing just that. We are working towards a better Goa to help people choose the right political force to take on the ruling party with no fear of backstabbing and betrayal of the people’s mandate.
