The politically peripatetic former MLA of Cumbharjua, Pandurang Madkaikar’s move to the BJP, was for obvious politically convenient reasons for both sides. But there is a little matter that needs to be taken to its logical conclusion and Goans must be assured that the prima facie case of corruption indulged by the former Transport Minister Pandurang Madkaikar, outlined in excellent and succinct detail by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in the Assembly, should be investigated fully and action taken in conformity with law, if the prima facie and every serious allegations are found to be true.
On July 23, 2014, Pandurang Madkaikar found himself completely stumped by then CM Mr Parrikar, in the Assembly, when he (Madkaikar) raised the issue of the need to acquire land for a police station in Old Goa. Mr Parrkar, seized the issue and produced documents to show how Madkaikar, as Transport minister during Mr Parrikar’s earlier stint in 2004, had already proposed acquisition of land for a police station, which he went on to buy in the name of Madkaikar Builders and Developers, his company. Mr Parrikar termed this as nothing short of corruption. He said in the Assembly, “This is a clear cut case of using the Land Acquisition Act for the purpose of personal benefit. You cannot propose that a land should be acquired and then purchase it. Is it not corruption?” And to top it all a Minister is seen doing this. (For details of the case, see box)
Regretting clearing the proposal CM Parrikar remarked, “A minister (Madkaikar) suggested to me and like a fool, I cleared within seven days because I believed that it was with good intention. I suspect malice here.”
He also announced in the Assembly that he was directing the Anti Corruption Branch to investigate it. “When a Minister recommends acquisition of land and ultimately buys the same land the process between proposal and purchase needs to be investigated,” the then Chief Minister had said.
While this reaction is a matter of record in the Assembly, a lot of water – to use a cliché – has indeed flown down the Zuari and Mandovi. Madkaikar is now a BJP member and a likely party candidate from Cumbharjua. But the fight against corruption, in a purported ‘zero tolerance to corruption’ regime should be beyond all compulsions and exigencies.
If a former Transport minister misuses his position to “fool” his Chief Minister and then buys the same land for his construction company, the case has to be probed and action initiated. The extent of the corruption cannot be determined by the value of the land but the fact that the manipulation was done by a minister. The kind of corruption, if proven, has no monetary value. Its seriousness cannot be measured by the loss to the exchequer or the amount the corrupt practice has earned the corrupt.
It will be in the fitness of things, if the ACB completes the probe gives its conclusion. If it finds evidence of corruption and sends this to trial, then Madkaikar should not contest the elections on ethical grounds. If there isn’t a strong enough case, then let him contest the elections and let the people’s court judge him.
But this is not the only time or case, when the voters of Goa will have to make a decision on whether corrupt politicians and those who have criminal charges against them should be worthy of seeking and getting your vote, and this should cut across party lines. In 2012, the people of Goa voted against corruption and family raj. Can these issues be pushed out of the radar in 2017? Can we say with any amount of confidence that corruption – and let us also add criminalisation – has been eased out of Goa’s political system?
The onus is on us. This isn’t about parties anymore. Every choice made in each constituency by each voter has to be based on these touchstones – i.e. is the candidate non corrupt and non corruptible and has he been booked for a serious criminal act. It is only when these boxes are checked should a final decision be made on the candidate.
If we leave it to the system and those who control it, to remove dirt from the system, it will never happen. To clean Goa, the corrupt and the criminal have to be sent to cleaners.
