For the workers, most of them from the Karabhat area of Taleigao and Chimbel, it did not matter. They just thought they were forcing a good deal from the Corporation of the City Of Panjim. For the leaders, including AAPs Swati Kerkar, it was just a matter of politics and making a name.
And the period was selected; because it was Christmas. It was a time where the Corporation could be held at ransom. Just like the time the workers decided to go on strike before Ganesh Chaturthi and the Christmas before that. Kerkar is a politician, and has stood and will stand for elections. Rane is a union leader. One is trying to build a vote bank. The other is trying to build a reputation.
Most residents see it as a failure of the CCP to sort out issues and keep a control on its workers, keep the city clean and develop it. Nothing has been happening in the city for a long time and the Mayor had been blaming the government and the Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues.
Besides the labour politics, there’s the other politics.
Former mayor Vaidahi Naik points out to the fact that this happens during every festival and every year.
“This Ganesh Chaturthi as well we Panjimites faced the same issue. The workers had refused to collect garbage and withdrew only on the eve of the festival. This was preceded by a similar strike in 2013 during Christmas,” she says.
According to insiders, the St Cruz MLA, Atanasio Babush Monserrate and a senior CCP corporator met the Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’ Souza on the previous day (Dec 23) and decided that a meeting would be held on Dec 24.
According to insiders in the know, the workers were pushed against the wall by the actions of the CCP and wanted a face saver to get back to work. Probably, they say, the Mayor getting to know of this decided to put make his presence felt and instead met the government and withdrew the strike, putting all the officers in the CCP with egg on their face and leaving the CCP wide open once again to blackmail tactics.(The Government has a different view on this however. Please read Dy CM Francis D Souza’s interview to Herald on this page)
The Mayor Surendra Furtado however stood his ground and said “I’m ready to die for Panjim. I couldn’t let the situation get out of hand, so I have intervened to ensure that garbage is collected. Yes there is politics going on but I’m not playing politics. The BJP is trying to sabotage the process to belittle me, since I’m the Congress candidate for Panjim.”
But it must be borne in mind the management of the CCP is nothing but political gamesmanship and even as the mayor accuses the Commissioner for batting for the ruling party, all the people of Panjim are looking for is a bowler who bowls garbage out.
