Mockery of democracy?
Floriano Lobo, President, Goa Su-Raj Party.

AN MLA, elected on a national Party’s ticket resigns his membership of the Legislative Assembly. Fine! The Constitution of India does allow for such an eventuality, mainly for reasons of death, severe incapacitation, disagreement with the party due to shift in party ideology etc etc. which reasons may have been considered when this particular legislation was included in the Constitution. Furthermore, anti defection legislation has made it difficult for MLAs to shop for good fortunes in other/rival political parties. The MLAs, who had perennially used defection as a tool to seek their personal fortunes have now used the resignation from the membership of the Legislative Assembly as a tool for the first time.

This loophole in the Constitutional provision had not been anticipated that it could be used to solve the problem of the member’s indebtedness, his lack of opportunities of making money to service his personal debts etc. Isidore Fernandes who has allegedly resigned from his Legislative Assembly Membership because the parent party, the Congress, in this case, could not bail him out from his personal debts.

How then, is the Election Commission justified in calling for bye-election in this vacated Constituency? Has the Indian democracy become the service station for these disgruntled and irresponsible elements? Is Indian democracy the leaping platform from bad times to good times? Is the gullible public to be penalized for this irresponsible act by the elected representatives by making them bleed in crores of rupees to pay for the re-election process? Shouldn’t there be a law to counter such blatant opportunistic change-overs? Shouldn’t such elected representatives be barred from contesting for any public office? Does this not make a mockery of democracy as we understand it? Shouldn’t the party which assimilates such elected members into their ranks be disqualified? Where is the Election Commission? Where is the Governor who is supposed to be the conscience keeper of our Government? Will someone answer these questions please?

Recently, the Law Minister was caught on the video tape whilst indulging in political arson. Due to public pressure, he was arrested and released on bail. Despite assurances by the Home Minister, this Minister goes scot free. Projects are being inaugurated on his birthday and he has been going about wooing his vote bank, unimpeded and unconcerned.

If the law makers become the law breakers with impunity, what is to be expected in this State? The culprits of Fontainhas vandalism are yet to be booked inspite of they being identified and official complaint registered against them with Goa Police. The vandals of Sanguem desecration of religious deities are still at large. The culprits who stormed the Bishop’s Palace are untouched and protected. Shouldn’t the Home Minister answer these questions? Shouldn’t he resign for incompetence? Shouldn’t the Governor sack this incompetent government? What are we waiting for, a total anarchy through the break-down in law and order situation? Will the Constitutional and Judicial heads please answer these sensitive questions?

It has become a fashion for self promoters to promote themselves through massive advertisement campaigns in the print media. The modus operandi is that the person, may it be a Minister, a MLA, a Chairperson of Zilla, Municipal Corporation, Sarpanch etc. will issue a series of advertisements on their birthdays, amounting to lakhs of rupees through friendly and conniving advertisement agencies.

After the advertisements appear, the well-wishers, on whose names these advertisements are released are contacted and made to pay for them, whether they like it or not. This is a massive fraud played by these self-promoters on the members of the public. The persons, whose advertisements appear in the print media on their birthdays must be thoroughly investigated by the Vigilance Department, if it still exists and functioning, and booked for fraud for playing these con-man’s games on the unsuspecting public. These are the persons best kept behind bars. The society shall never regret it.

Siolim plant show
Alexyz, Siolim.

I must thank your popular columnist Tara Narayan for gracing and agreeing to be on the panel of judges at the St. Francis Xavier’s H. School Green Heritage Eco Club Plant Festival.

However, there were two gentlemen who have been a continuous source inspiration and assistance i.e besides the SFX school management who are solidly committed to inculcate into the students the love and preservation of their environment through the plant show.

The two gentlemen…one is Miguel Braganza the well-known horticulturist from Mapusa. I didn’t know him when I first met him 13 years ago before the first plant show to help us with his technical expertise. He’s been an integral part of the show. The other gentleman is Joel D’Souza from Assagao, Goa’s first Internet journalist. We planned the first plant show together after viewing an exhibition by the Botanical Society of Goa at Kala Academy. Besides the local media , Joel has promoted our plant festival internationally.

Minority bashing
Dr Francisco Colaco, Margao.

The last issue of your esteemed newsweekly vividly portrays the step-motherly treatment that is being meted out to the minorities in Goa under the present nefarious regime. In atleast two instances (“partisan communal recruitment for government jobs” and the “delimitation conspiracy”).

I was so disturbed by the facts that I found it difficult to believe my eyes. But the sad truth is that the plight of the minorities in this State has indeed been rendered pathetic. Unless something is done with great urgency to stem the awesome tide (if necessary by bringing down “this rogue government”) the minorities will soon be wiped out from all-important spheres of activity in this beloved Goa of ours. And if we continue to stand as mute spectators, the process of side-lining us will go on unimpeded, as it is, with a little help from our own Judases and the craftiness of someone at the helm who deftly uses us to finish us.

I am no soothsayer but it is becoming clearer that doom-sday is drawing nearer. And act we must with the firm conviction that a large chunk of the intelligent and enlightened majority is with us.

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