Every five years the Indian constitution ensures that the people of India call the shots when it comes to their future and their say is that only counts to decide who governs them for another five years. In 2012, Goans fed up with a Congress government wired up in controversies of all sorts had given a decisive mandate to the BJP and their supported candidates with a hope of better days under their guard.
In today’s election scenario upfront, honest and trust worthy people unfortunately shy away from contesting the elections mainly due to the electoral expenses involved in building up the logistical support and sustaining volunteer base which requires enormous funds in cash and kind. Candidates supported by political parties or ex-MLA’s find no dearth for funds due to their party’s financial support and their accumulation of funds during their tenure and also donations from their friends in the industry and business who expect favors once their financed candidate manages to get elected. In the bargain, honest citizens who wish to prove themselves in society find themselves in a secluded corner in frustration as the present
electoral system simply will not allow anyone to come up the ladder to bring about the much desired change in our set of legislators to provide better governance and avoid belittling the hopes of the people once they occupy the seat of power.
Prior elections, we always find Parties and other candidates advertise and publicize their so called manifesto which simply is a printed white-paper lined up with a host of promises which at times are simply not even practicable. After the elections, the much publicized manifesto is simply never followed or even forgotten and becomes a burden for them once the candidate or the party gets busy in maneuvering the political system for their dominance and in enjoying the fruits of power bestowed upon them for the next five years. Sadly the common man who had happened to be a VIP just a short while ago before the elections suddenly finds himself again at the receiving end and has to come back to his original place and fight for his survival and his ethics often on the streets as he watches the legislator next door drives away in his premium sedan no longer concerned with his
sufferings or his say. The host of promises and issues the political Party or their candidates were making a hue and cry much to the admiration of the common man suddenly disappears in thin air as the issues on the ground hold no longer relevance for them but their power in the Assembly does. So, for the next five years the common man who was made a VIP prior elections with door to door pampering by the candidates themselves suddenly becomes a burden for the elected representative for the next five years.
This is the time we need to be alert as simply promises and freebies of candidates and political parties is not going to do us much good as the candidates are bound to stoop to any level in trying to appease the voter to cast his most treasured vote in his/her favor. This is the time we need to think about our future and the future of our children who rely on us to make right decisions for their own good.
This is the time when even your friends, neighbors and even the spiritual leaders will try to sway our minds and conscience to fool us to snatch our vote in their favor. We cannot afford to be seduced by the looks, promises and hopes bestowed upon us by the candidates in return for our votes at corner meetings, advertisements or their supporters but need to simply judge their performance in public life, their honesty and past performance. We cannot afford to elect candidates and Parties who are habitual in their U-Turns but we need to seal our votes in favor of candidates guided by our inner voice and our conscience. We cannot afford to think of personal favors granted by the candidates and barter our vote is return but we need to take a call in the interests of society, our future and safeguarding Goa for the generations to come. We need to judge whether we can afford to bring back the same government or the same sitting legislator back to power guided by their past five years report card or if we need to think of alternatives in hand. The decision we make on 4th Feb will seal our fate for the next five years and no matter how much we cry, shout or protest nothing can reverse the outcome of that decision.
Villagers of Carmona who were instrumental in their fight against mega-housing projects, Mobile Towers, bad roads, abuse of Gram Sabhas, river nationalization and other host of issues have come up with a unique way of presenting a “Charter of Demands” to all the candidates for the Benaulim constituency for their say and commitment which will help them in making their conscience guided decision during the elections to the Assembly. These elections, the villagers hope not to vote for any particular candidate but offer their vote for declared accountability of the candidates of Benaulim constituency for the next five years! People of other constituencies need to follow the same otherwise the words and promises of the candidates and their die hard supporters today will hold no paper value once the election for the 2017 Assembly is done with!
