[Goanet] SPECIAL STATUS FOR GOA: A REALITY CHECK
When he assumed office on 9th March 2012, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had rightly pointed out that Goa’s exploding population needed to be frozen. But his government has done nothing whatsoever towards achieving that end, except keeping Goans entertained with the empty talk of Special Status for Goa. Infact Manohar Parrikar has been drafting in more ‘migrants’ and even posting them in high positions despite there being no dearth of qualified Goans available for those posts. In an apparent bid to seek and arouse passions over the issue of Special Status for Goa, Manohar Parrikar had last year expressed concern that Goa was on the brink of ethnic dilution as the uncontrolled migration into Goa was diluting the State’s ethnic character. Unrestricted migration and whole-scale transfer of land is beginning to submerge the unique Goan identity” is what Manohar Parrikar had exactly said. Mr. Parrikar had further stated that The apprehension is that Goans will become an alienated microscopic minority within their own State The same devious Manohar Parrikar a week later amidst much fanfare inaugurated the Dawoodi Bohra's residential colony at Socorro in Porvorim. In his speech there Manohar Parrikar said “As 80% of your community members are into business, I would like to invite and welcome more people from your community to come to Goa while assuring them all help in their endeavours in Goa. Such double talk by Mr. Manohar Parrikar has now become the order of the day. Fortunately, the people of Goa including some of his own cabinet colleagues and party MLAs are now opening their eyes and may no longer be fooled by such empty deceptive talk. The electoral promises are mere rainbows. Despite having a clear mandate in Delhi, if BJP and specially Manohar Parrikar cannot deliver, God help Goa. Perhaps the foreign junkets are aimed at distractions, to enable Manohar Parrikar to fiddle to glory while Goa is burning. The skewed decisions of this government are on account of the tailor made and politically vitiated legal advice being given by the flamboyant Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni whose very close links with the Mining barons, the Casino lobby, and the builders is no secret. That Special Status may remain a mere illusion forever. We can save for posterity whatever remains of Goa by urgently having the required laws in place to protect our land and identity. For this to happen and get those laws drafted, we first need to have on a priority an honest, sincere, and knowledgeable Advocate General who would have only Goa’s best interest at heart. Will the Chief Minister stop shedding crocodile tears and bite the bullet by taking this first much needed step to salvage Goa’s wreckage. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE GOA REGIONAL PLAN SHOULD BE A PRIORITY
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s skewed statement that the formulation of the Goa Regional plan will be attended to only after the Mining issue is resolved is senseless to say the least. It cannot be one issue at a time. In the absence of the Regional plan, the builder’s lobby with the tacit blessings of the government is having a field day. Its deception and distortions in approving projects in connivance with the authorities. The people of Goa having been taken for a ride by being promised a Parivartan by way of good governance and a Golden Goa. On Manohar Parrikar’s vow to throw the Casinos out of the River Mandovi how long would Goa have to wait? Mr. Chief Minister, in your failure to deliver on your promises is the hurdle because your Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni has very close ties and vested interest with Mining, Casino and the builder lobby? Goa is by the day sinking deeper in the dumps with no ray of hope on the horizon. Due to the apathy of successive governments once the paradise of the East is now ending up being a concertized, garbage ridden, gambling and drug loaded haven. Manohar Parrikar is presiding over Goa’s last rites with rampant corruption and nepotism at its very peak. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SAFEGUARDING JUDICIARY
In the final year LLB results released by the Goa University on 11th June this year Dipti Bakre was declared as failed. However in the outcome of the revaluation which was announced on 17th July she miraculously passed as First Class. There needs to be a probe whether there was any inappropriate influence in this revaluation. Phone conversations if any between Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni and the Goa University officials may throw some light. Not long ago Bombay High Court at Goa Justice U.V Bakre and his wife by their presence as ‘Dampatya’ graced a puja performed at the private plush three storeyed office of Atmaram Nadkarni on 18th June Road. Wasn’t this a very unholy and improper act? Judges should keep a very safe distance from the government including the Advocate General. Judges should never remain indebted directly or indirectly in whatsoever manner to the Government and more so the Advocate General. Otherwise the Courts far from being fountains of justice will end being a mere mouth piece of the government only conferring a stamp of approval to the illegalities and misdeeds committed by those in power. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] RTI REVEALS GOA AG PAID OVER TWO CRORES IN TWO YEARS
The Goa Government paid Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. This has been revealed in the information furnished by the Directorate of Accounts under the Right to Information Act. As per the information the Goa Government also spent a further Rs 10,14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the business class airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni from January 2013 to March 2014. It is an irony that Goa being the smallest state is not only hosting India's highest paid Advocate General but the country's highest paid public servant. In public interest the fees payable to the Advocate General of Goa should be immediately slashed and brought on par with other states. Compared with the fees paid to other Advocate Generals across the country, the very exorbitant fees being currently paid to the Advocate General of Goa is nothing short of a loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer. And how is Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni allowed to travel to Delhi by business class when all public officials are required to travel only by economy class and more so in view of the troubled economic times that Goa is facing. It may be recalled that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on 23rd May 2012 had directed that the fees of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni be hiked due to the very high inflation being faced by the Advocate General. The government by an order issued on 8th April last year hiked the fees of the Advocate General from a monthly maximum of five lakhs to eight lakhs. The Advocate General’s per appearance fee before the High Court was hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per case per day. In addition the Advocate General is also paid Rs 75,000 per day on every visit to Delhi regardless of whether he appears before the Supreme Court or not. The hike in the Advocate General’s fees was made retrospective with effect from 1st April 2012. The Advocate General also gets 15 personal staff as entitled to a Cabinet Minister. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST HC JUDGE FOR ATTENDING PUJA AT AG’S PRIVATE OFFICE
With a sense of deep and immense anguish, I was today constrained to file a complaint with the Bombay High Court Chief Justice Mohit Shah against Justice U.V. Bakre for he having along with his wife as *‘Dampatya’* graced a puja performed at the private office of Goa’s flamboyant and very controversial Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. A copy of the complaint has also been sent to the no-nonsense Chief Justice of India R.M.Lodha. Such very unholy and improper acts on the part of Judges needs to be sternly dealt with. The current state of the Judiciary in Goa is a matter of grave concern and such conduct by Judges will only further jeopardize the credibility and integrity of the Judiciary. Judges should keep a very safe distance from the government including the Advocate General. Judges should never remain indebted directly or indirectly in whatsoever manner to the Government and more so the Advocate General. If we continue to remain mere spectators to the wrong doings by Judges, Courts far from being fountains of justice will end being a mere mouth piece of the government only to confer a stamp of approval to the illegalities and misdeeds committed by those in power. In my complaint I have urged our Chief Justice Mohit Shah to take appropriate and swift action in the matter so that the much needed Independence of the Judiciary is not further compromised. In fighting against anything that is wrong we must at all times be inspired by the words of William Faulkner “Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth”. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CM DRIBBLING ON THE GOA REGIONAL PLAN
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was elected on his much publicized solemn vow of Zero tolerance to Corruption. After being in office for two and a half years he has now publicly declared that the entire Town and Country Planning as well as the Mines department are highly corrupt. Did he learn of this corruption only now? Was this not so, when he was CM on the earlier occasion? Many of those in these Departments were there, at the time of his earlier tenure too, while some may have retired or left service by now. And what about the time when he was the Leader of Opposition? Did he not realize all this for so long? If he knew all this, all this while, even before assuming office as CM in March, 2012, at least since then, what has the Chief Minister been doing for so long? Why is this being raked up as an issue to keep postponing the finalisation of the Regional Plan? Surely, the final say is with the Government. And would anyone believe that where Mr. Parrikar has desired, his writ has not run? Is this merely another ploy to distract the public and keep them fooled that the finalization of the Regional plan is taking time, due to these corrupt officials! Or is it that a special team is proposed to be brought in, as Super-specialist advisors, to make a blue-print (which may be currently under preparation in the back-rooms and dark labyrinths of the saffron-brigade, as per the *instructions* and *inputs* from the well-known dalals), to be then published for public objections, which would surely take care of the *deserving interests* who may have lined up the pockets of the politicians, much to the chargin of the lower officials? Manohar Parrikar’s promised war against corruption has never been waged as many of the Ministers and ruling MLAs besides party functionaries are themselves soaked in rampant corruption with the Chief Minister allowing them to have a field’s day as long as his Chair remains secure. The bonafides of the Chief Minister on rooting out corruption are further suspect as he has kept Goa without a Lokayukta and has allowed the very vital State Information Commission to remain dysfunctional. The mask is wearing off, Mr. Parrikar. Don’t squander the mandate given by the people of Goa. The Aam Aaadmi is fast losing patience as the promised ‘Ache din’ are nowhere in sight. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE CASE FOR JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE
On the eve of the 68th Independence Day the Narendra Modi government as expected has hit the last nail on the independence of the Judiciary by now giving the politicians a say in the appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts across the country. Our country has seen some outstanding and refined Judges who have brought great honour and esteem to the temples of Justice. With the retirement of Chief Justice of India R.M.Lodha next month that tribe may now become extinct. The politicians will now ensure that only their manageable and handy choices are chosen as Judges. In Goa the critical health of the Judiciary is a matter of grave concern. The controversial Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni has anointed himself as the super Chief Justice of the State. It was not envisaged that an Advocate General would operate as a liaison officer bartending between the government and Judges. While the Advocate General shamelessly appears in cases for and against the government he has taken professional ethics to the gutters. Even those in the world’s oldest profession do it better. It is the Atmaram Nadkarni brigade that is high-handedly and unethically ruling the roost. Infact if you want to file a petition against the Goa Government or even the Central Government, the Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni should be your first and only port of call. He will craftily guide you through your vows if you are ready to be milked dry. Sorrowing lies the state of Goa’s Judiciary with the national flag sadly raised half mast, but we need to relentlessly battle to restore and regain the much needed glory and independence of our Judiciary by freeing it from the clutches of the sharks led by Atmaram Nadkarni and his coterie. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE GOA ILLGEAL MINING NATAK
The stage managed drama on the current renewal of those 28 mining leases is there for all to see. While Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has yesterday publicly stated that the recent High Court order on the renewal of those leases would not be challenged, the Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni yesterday itself has blurted diametrically opposite claiming that the High Court order would be challenged before the Supreme Court. Were it not as part of a pre-planned cooked strategy, how could the government have collected those 435 crores from those Mining barons when the whole issue was pending and under the scanner of the Supreme Court? Infact for some of the mine owners before the High Court they were indirectly represented by the Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni though officially for the record it was one of his juniors acting as his tout. Even the appearance of the Advocate General for some mining companies, is causing great alarm and concern amongst the citizens and other mining companies. All that theatrical rhetoric that we heard in court was another Atmaram Nadkarni‘s cock and bull story to pull the wool over our eyes. How can an Advocate General who is a known legal messiah of the mining companies be able to give a fair and unadulterated advice to the Government on the mining issue and the mining policy? All those involved in Goa illegal mining loot are now seen lined up at the Atmaram Nadkarni’s private den on 18th June road being now mined deep as it can get by Atmaram Nadkarni and his cohorts. The Advocate General should never have been advising private parties nor appearing in cases in which he is likely to be called on to advice the Government. So also the so-called former juniors, who continue to function out of his plush office, though with alternate addresses published, should be checked. Their phone locations, their movements – in and out of the Advocate General’s office, the flow of clients from Atmaram Nadkarni’s office, onto their laps, ought to be investigated. Mahatma Gandhi had said “There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supercedes all other courts.” That is if only our very thick skinned Atmaram had a conscience! Atmarams are not known to have one. Are they? They pocket the ‘Dan and Dakshina' without being the ‘Dampatya’ ! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CAG QUESTIONS GOA GOVT ON HIGH FEES BEING PAID TO ADVOCATE GENERAL
The Goa office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has sought an urgent explanation and justification from the Goa Government on the high fees being paid to Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. Acting on a complaint filed on 16th May last year on the very exorbitant fees being paid to the Advocate General, the office of CAG made a comparative examination with the states of Haryana, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and found the fees being paid to the Advocate General of Goa to be very high. The CAG in a letter to the Goa Government on 23rd January this year had also sought from the Goa Government the list of cases represented by the Advocate General in the High Court and Supreme Court along with the total remuneration paid and the amount that was at stake in those cases. The CAG has also sought details of the total amount paid monthly to the Advocate General and a list of the Advocates empanelled by the Goa government with the total remuneration paid to them year wise. The CAG in its comparative chart has drawn the Government’s attention that while the Goa AG for appearance before the High Court is paid Rs 10,000 per case, that the AG of Haryana is paid Rs 1000 while the AGs of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya are paid Rs 5000, Rs 3000 and Rs 2500 respectively. The CAG has further informed the Goa Government that while the Goa AG is paid Rs 75,000 for appearance before the Supreme Court the Haryana AG gets paid Rs 2000 while the AGs of Manipur and Meghalaya get paid Rs 10,000 with the Arunachal Pradesh AG paid Rs 3500. With no reply having been received from the Goa government the Deputy Accountant General on 22nd April once again wrote to the Law Secretary calling for the information urgently. The CAG is reportedly in the process of sending yet another reminder to the Goa Government. The Government is duty bound to promptly reply to any queries of CAG. The Goa Government by high-handedly not responding to the queries raised by CAG is only attempting to shield Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. Goa despite being the smallest state is not only hosting India's highest paid Advocate General but the country's highest paid public servant. The President of India is paid Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1,00,000 and a High Court Judge Rs 80,000. Advocate General of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni out beats them all by getting paid up to a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 on every visit to Delhi. This gross anomaly defies all logic. Public funds cannot be allowed to be squandered in such a high-handed manner. The astronomical fees being paid to the Advocate General of Goa is nothing short of a day light loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on 23rd May 2012 had directed that the fees of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni be hiked due to the very high inflation being faced by the Advocate General. The government by an order issued on 8th April last year hiked the fees of the Advocate General from a monthly maximum of five lakhs to eight lakhs. The Advocate General’s per appearance fee before the High Court was hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per case per day. In addition the Advocate General is now paid Rs 75,000 per day on every visit to Delhi regardless of whether he appears before the Supreme Court or not. The hike in the Advocate General’s fees was made retrospective with effect from 1st April 2012. The Advocate General also gets 15 personal staff as entitled to a Cabinet Minister. Information furnished last week by the Directorate of Accounts under the RTI Act revealed that Goa Government paid Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. As per the information the Government also spent a further Rs 10,14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the business class airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by Advocate General from January 2013 to March 2014. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] A GATHERING OF STONES
On 19th December last year amidst much pomp and fanfare the foundation stone was laid at Porvorim for a state of the art complex to house the Bombay High Court at Goa. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had assured that the project would be ready in 18 months. It is now already eight long months and the construction work is yet to commence. Likewise on 2nd November 2009 a similar foundation stone was laid for the North Goa District and Sessions Court Complex at Merces which was supposed to house all the Panaji Courts. We were then promised that the premises would be ready within a year. It will soon be five long years to the laying of that foundation stone and not a brick has been cast with that foundation stone itself having long gone missing with those building design plans by now perhaps feasted on by the white ants. So why burden the tax payer by spending lavishly and very injudiciously on such pretentious functions which seem to be ending up as a mere gathering of stones. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR BLACKMAILING JUDGES
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s contumacious comments on the poor legal acumen of judges is highly deplorable. The most inappropriate broadside launched by Manohar Parrikar against the orders passed by some judges is in utter bad taste and highly condemnable. He is obviously trying to high-highhandedly blackmail and intimidate Judges into submission. Manohar Parrikar needs to be strongly damned for his malicious statement that judges in Goa need re-orientation. It is the Chief Minister, his Ministers, MLAs, and bureaucrats who should instead surrender themselves to Zero tolerance in corruption and accountability in public life, as then there may never be an occasion for their acts to undergo judicial scrutiny. The government should not always expect favorable judicial orders. If the Goa government is aggrieved by any Court order it should file an appeal in accordance with law. It is high time Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar learns to respect the independence and the sovereignty of the judiciary. But for the Chief Minister who is displaying acute signs of being off his rocker, like a dog’s tail will never straighten. God Save Goa. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SALVAGING THE JUDICIARY
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar besides being an IIT has also mastery in trying to fish in troubled waters. He must be longing to carve and create an occasion to corner me. Much as he may have liked, but I have done absolutely nothing wrong in writing to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and to the Chief Justice of India that Justice U.V. Bakre had committed a grave judicial impropriety by having along with his wife as ‘Dampatya’ graced a puja performed at the private office of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. As a citizen and more so being an officer of the Court, have only acted according to the well-established rules of propriety and decorum in bringing this very inappropriate and unholy act by Judge Bakre to the notice of the Chief Justices to ensure purity in the judiciary. While always upholding the majesty of the Court, have and will continue in fearlessly high lighting every impropriety committed by any judicial officer. This has to be done to ensure that the very sacred independence and sovereignty of the Judiciary is not compromised. Interaction between Judges and Advocates should be strictly restricted to the Court room. Besides what a Judge does even in his private life, cannot remain private, as a Judge is a public man, open to public scrutiny even of his private life, as any other public servant. Many in the legal fraternity privately grieve and are very concerned about the current sad state of the Judiciary in Goa. For obvious reasons many may not dare to speak openly. But have never and will never compromise on my freedom of speech and expression to only be in good books with the Judges. Hosting Judges should never be on any advocate’s menu but sadly arranging those slanted ‘fishy’ spirited dinners has become an art Senior Advocate Saresh Lotlikar thrives on. As lawyers we should never manipulate and extract favourable orders from Judges. All we have to hope is that Justice and nothing but only Justice will emanate from every Temple of Justice. At all times we have to ensure that no weapon is used to silence the Voice of Truth. Would rather go to jail than be a mere spectator to the further degeneration of the Judiciary which today still remains as the last and only ray of hope for victims of injustice. Andrew Jackson the seventh President of the United States of America had said “All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary” Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ANOTHER SKEWED DECISION BY THE CHIEF MINISTER
The decision by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to ban the sale of liquor at Old Goa during the ensuing 44 day exposition of the relicts of St Francis Xavier which begins on November 22nd is very high handed, uncalled for and unjustified. There has been no request to this effect from the Church and the Old Goa Panchayat has also strongly opposed it. The claim by Manohar Parrikar that people will drink and go to Church is just another of his crazy thought. Nothing of this sort has ever been witnessed during all the earlier expositions and even at the Feast of St Francis Xavier every year. Will the Chief Minister’s next move be to ban sale of pork and beef at Old Goa to play to keep content those fanatics within his party cadres. The late night sale of liquor across Goa should instead have been the Chief Minister’s concern. After that Panaji Pub sword attack the Chief Minister had promised to clamp down on late night sale of booze. But he was quick to make a U Turn. Was it to secure the vested interest of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni whose to be son-in-law runs a very busy pub at Candolim serving liquor all the way till sunrise? Another concern of the Chief Minister should be the widespread sale of illicit and spurious liquor across the State. One of the kingpins in this business is his BJP Taleigao Mandal Chief who has a string of outlets in Panaji and Porvorim specializing in this network of selling spurious liquor. His family has been running this nefarious trade for decades while astutely being in good books with the political party in power. After cozying with the MGP and later Congress governments their trade now continues to thrive with their loyalty now swapped to the BJP. By making a Parivartan from party to party the family has kept their sale of duplicate liquor bottles booming. An now this illegal trade continues to thrive with the blessings of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who though fully aware of this criminal rot. But as usual it’s Zero action against the corrupt. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CHIEF MINISTER’S ILLEGAL OFFER TO FUND LITIGATION BY NGO OR ACTIVIST
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s offer that he along with his friends would fund any NGO or activist to file a petition on the Mhadei issue is highly objectionable. While speaking in the Goa Legislative Assembly on the Mhadei issue yesterday Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar stated that he was ready to personally fund and would also get his friends to pitch in towards the expenses incurred by any NGO or activist who is ready to file a petition on the Mhadei issue before the Supreme Court or the Green Tribunal. Fomenting or funding of any litigation before any Court is absolutely illegal and a very corrupt act. It is no surprise that such a reckless suggestion has come from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who now seems to have clearly lost his mental balance. A transcript of this highhanded statement made by the Chief Minister would be sent to the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court to draw their attention to the despicable manner in which the Chief Minister had offered to circumvent the laid down law on filing petitions. Would any right minded person ever make such an offer which the law clearly does not permit? One wonders whether the very flexible Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni is in consonance with this devious strategy mooted by the Chief Minister of the government virtually outsourcing the filing of the petition. As Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had just recently accused NGOs and activists of filing petitions with vested interests, the double talk by the Chief Minister now stands utterly exposed. The so called integrity and honesty of the Chief Minister is now clearly questionable in view of his attempt to initiate litigation by proxy, something which has been strongly deprecated in various Judgments passed by the Supreme Court and the High Courts. This dubious offer made by the Chief Minister also runs contrary to his much publicized mantra of Zero tolerance to Corruption and Good Governance. The Government should vehemently protect Goa’s interests on the Mhadei issue within the frame work of law rather than stooping to the illegal mode of Chief Minister and his friends funding others to carry on the government’s battle. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] INVITING CM MANOHAR PARRIKAR TO A FACE-OFF ON CORRUPTION BY HIS GOVERNMENT
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar last week stated in the Goa Legislative Assembly that he was ready to an open debate with any one and anywhere on the allegations of corruption against his government. Would dare the Chief Minister to this face-off on the acts of rampant corruption and nepotism by his government. Let Manohar Parrikar have the privilege of choosing the date and venue. Will publicly confront Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar with facts and figures backed by documentary evidence that the Chief Minister along with many of his Ministers and MLAs have their hands deeply soiled in various acts of blatant corruption and nepotism they have committed over the last two and half years. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar himself has a lot to answer including the huge land purchased by his son Abhijat at Neturlim in Sanguem. The Chief Minister has been hoodwinking the people of Goa with his so called mantra of Zero tolerance to Corruption. He has been finding fault with all and sundry including NGOs, activists, the media and now even the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). It is time the Chief Minister takes responsibility and puts his own house in order. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been trying to keep the lid on the misdeeds of his government by intentionally not appointing a Lokayukta and also sabotaging the functioning of the State Information Commission. Constructive criticism and an ongoing vigilant audit is vital to the proper functioning of any government. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been high-handedly trying to crush all voices of opposition and dissent. This does not augur well for the very basics tenets of our democracy. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SHOULD JUSTICE U.V.BAKRE HAVE HEARD THE GOA MINING CASE?
the judiciary does not discharge its duties as per the mandate of the Constitution. In the words of Jonathan Sacks “True freedom requires the rule of law and justice, and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denials of the rights of others”. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] JUSTICE IS QUESTION
It was another painful letter to write but I had to rise to the occasion. Being a member of the legal fraternity I cannot remain a mere spectator to the lowering standards of the Judiciary. Have sent a complaint to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court Mohit Shah against Justice U.V. Bakre for having heard a case pertaining to Mining in Goa. A copy of the complaint has been also sent to the Chief Justice of India R.M.Lodha. Have drawn their attention that it was not proper for Justice U.V.Bakre to have heard any case pertaining to the Goa Mining saga as he was the Law Secretary of Goa from 21st November 2005 to 8th April 2007 during which the government took several controversial decisions on the Mining issue. A bunch of petitions filed by the Mining Companies was recently heard by a bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa of which Justice Bakre was a part with the judgment delivered on 13th August 2014 directing the Goa Government to renew the mining leases. The Justice Shah Commission which probed the Goa illegal mining scam also held government officials responsible for the irregularities that perpetrated. Justice Bakre who as Law Secretary having been privy and party to many of those controversial decisions should have recused from hearing any matter pertaining to Mining in Goa. The judiciary must ensure that it remains independent and is seen to be independent of any influence that might reasonably be perceived as compromising its ability to judge cases fairly and impartially. To maintain society’s trust and confidence, justice must not only be done but be seen to be done. In every judicial proceeding there is need to uphold the public policy of maintaining the integrity of the judiciary and at the same time achieving fairness to the parties concerned. The trust of the people is shaken when the judiciary does not discharge its duties as per the mandate of the Constitution. Judges need to save the Temples of Justice from embarrassment which tends to lower the image of the judicial system, which is already passing through testing times being under attack every day. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CAG SENDS GOA GOVERNMENT YET ANOTHER REMINDER ON ADVOCATE GENERAL’S FEES
The Goa office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has dashed yet another reminder to the Goa Government seeking a very urgent explanation and justification on the high fees being paid to Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. In this second reminder addressed to the Law Secretary it has been pointed out that though over six months have elapsed the information sought by CAG has not been furnished and that it be furnished very urgently. The Goa Government paid AG Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. The Government also spent a further Rs 10,14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the business class airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by AG from January 2013 to March 2014. The CAG in a letter to the Goa Government on 23rd January this year had sought from the Goa Government a justification on the high fees being paid to Goa AG. With no reply having been received from the Goa government, CAG on 22nd April once again wrote to the Law Secretary calling for the information urgently. CAG made a comparative study with the states of Haryana, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and found that the fees being paid to the Goa AG very high. CAG in its comparative chart drew the Government’s attention that while the Goa AG for an appearance before the High Court is paid Rs 10,000 per case, that the AG of Haryana is paid Rs 1000 while the AGs of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya are paid Rs 5000, Rs 3000 and Rs 2500 respectively. The CAG further informed the Goa Government that while the Goa AG is paid Rs 75,000 for appearance before the Supreme Court the Haryana AG gets paid Rs 2000 while the AGs of Manipur and Meghalaya get paid Rs 10,000 with the Arunachal Pradesh AG paid Rs 3500. Goa despite being the smallest state is not only hosting India's highest paid AG but the country's highest paid public servant. President of India is paid Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1,00,000 and a High Court Judge Rs 80,000. But AG of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni is paid up to a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 on every visit to Delhi which is nothing short of a day light loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer. The Goa Government is duty bound to promptly reply to queries raised by CAG. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in an attempt to shield AG Atmaram Nadkarni is pressurizing the Law department not to respond to the pointed questions raised by CAG. Shame on you, Mr. CM. Transparency, Good governance and Zero tolerance to corruption is what we were promised. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MRS BHAVANA KHOLKAR PASSES AWAY
Very sorry to hear about the death of my biology teacher in school Mrs. Bhavana Kholkar. She passed away at her residence in Ribandar this afternoon. A great teacher and so wonderful a person she was. A multifaceted personality. My condolences to her husband Ulhas, her dear sons Tanmay and Samarth and their families. May her soul rest in eternal peace. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CLEANSING THE POLITICAL MUCK
The Supreme Court has today very rightly pointed out that to uphold constitutional morality the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers should not appoint as Ministers persons against whom corruption charges are pending. In Goa there is a corruption case pending against Chief Minister Manohar Parikar himself besides a case of cheating and corruption against Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar. A case of disproportionate assets is pending against Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar while a criminal case stands registered against Deputy Speaker Anant Shet who was caught red handed with unaccounted money while on the campaign trail at the last Assembly elections. Ministers once under the scanner should immediately demit office to pave way for a free and fair probe and the Court proceeding that follows. This will go a long way in enhancing the much needed probity in public life. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE GOA CRICKET ASSOCIATION SHOULD COMBAT POLITRICKS
Politicians should be kept away at a safe distance from all Sports bodies. Over the last two and a half years BJP’s Dr Shekhar Salkar through all his politricks has been desperately and frantically trying by hook or crook to usurp the post as President of the Goa Cricket Association (GCA). All his incognito behind the scene surgeries and strategies unleashed in connivance with his mentor Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar have been rightly bowled out. As a last-ditch move Dr Shekhar Salkar has now maneuvered and managed to get a show cause notice issued by the Sports Authority of Goa threatening to de-recognize the GCA if the current President is not removed. This is nothing short of a stage managed blackmail and pressure tactic by the government to coerce the GCA to make Dr Shekhar Salkar the President. To uphold their self respect the GCA and its affiliated clubs with all their might should fiercely resist this high-handed vicious and undemocratic tactic of the government. Ironically while Dayanand Narvekar was at the GCA’s helm of affairs, Dr Shekhar Salkar was vociferously demanding that the GCA should come under the purview of Right to Information Act. But once he became the Vice President of GCA in a U turn he opted that the veil of secrecy in the functioning of the GCA should continue. The GCA should not be drifted the Goa Cancer Society or National Organisation for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE) way. Dr Shekhar Salkar should stick to his party politics and oncology while leaving the Goa Cricket Association to be manned by dedicated sportsmen. May the cricket pitch remain spic-and-span. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] NO ACCHE DIN FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH
Are the dark days of the 1975 Emergency once again looming large? In times when sadly most of the media is gagged or manipulated by the government of the day, it is the social networking sites like Face book and Twitter that provides you a forum to fearlessly express your thoughts and views on any issue. On Face book I have been a member of 120 groups some of which are Goa related and others connected with the legal arena on which I have been posting my views and opinions on various issues. Though my posts are not sugar coated as many would have liked, I always post only after ascertaining the facts. Anyone who differs is free to express his own viewpoint and incase I may have erred I would be more than pleased to most humbly stand corrected. Surprisingly from last evening while posting on any of these groups I get a message saying You have been temporarily blocked from performing this action”. I can suspect this to be the handiwork at the instance of two monsters occupying high positions in Goa. It would not be proper for me to name them till I have some concrete evidence to that effect. So at the moment I can only post on my timeline which would only reach my 4999 friends. Have written to Face book last night and awaiting to hear from them as to at whose instance my freedom of speech and expression has been curtailed. Till the situation is rectified may I request you to kindly forward to other groups and share any of my posts you deem fit so that this high-handed attempt to muzzle our voice is at least to some extent thwarted. This morning it was paying the last respects to my school teacher Mrs. Bhavana Kholkar who passed away last evening. My teacher was very brave and outspoken. Never ever minced words in all that she had to say. In her little way she would always stand up against injustice and all that was wrong. Thank you Teacher, for showing me the way. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WILL THE CM REIN IN THE AG?
Advocate General of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni has managed to arm twist the Law Secretary not to respond to the queries raised by Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on the very high fees being paid to him. After making a comparative study with other States, CAG through two reminders has sought an urgent explanation and justification from the Goa Government on the extremely high fees being paid to Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. Goa Government paid Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. The Government also spent a further Rs 10,14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by Atmaram Nadkarni from January 2013 to March 2014 by Business class while even the Chief Minister travels Economy class. Goa despite being the smallest state is not only hosting India's highest paid Advocate General but the country's highest paid public servant too. The President of India gets Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1,00,000 and a High Court Judge Rs 80,000. But Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni pockets up to a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 a day on his every visit to Delhi. This is nothing short of a day light criminal loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer. The post of Advocate General is not to make money. Persons have held it for honour by getting paid even a token Re 1 per month. If Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has any valid and tenable justification for these high fees being swallowed by the Atmaram Nadkarni he should place it before CAG and see the response. Atmaram Nadkarni by his acts of commission and commission has taken the high constitutional post of Advocate General to the gutters. Alike the politicians he even got the public to sponsor the expenses of his 50th birthday which was hosted at the Taj Fort Aguada in Sinquerim. Professional ethics demands that a person occupying the high and solemn constitutional post as Advocate General should never appear for a private party in a case where the government is directly or even indirectly a party. Once appointed as Advocate General he cannot have a penchant for raking in the moolah by any unholy means. The Advocate General is a very high Constitutional authority and should never be someone who has a lust and greed for wealth or having vested interest with any lobby but has always to ensure the State’s best interests at heart. As a role model to the legal fraternity he has to uphold impeccable integrity and the highest ethical standards. He being an important functionary in the legal system and in the dispensation of justice, his conduct at all times must be absolutely beyond any shadow of doubt. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MINDING THE MINING IN GOA
There is no dispute that legal mining must resume. But it should under no circumstances be a repeat of the mining loot and plunder that we have seen over the years. For the sake of posterity that mining chaos and mess should never be allowed to recur. The recent 16th July order of the High Court directing that 28 mining leases be renewed may not sustain as it seems to be in conflict with the earlier 21st April order of the Supreme Court. From a bare reading of the order it is clear that the High Court has travelled erroneously beyond its jurisdiction in wrongly interpreting the Supreme Court directives. The High Court order once challenged is bound to be set aside. Even Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni had at least publicly stated that the Goa government would challenge the High Court order. Did he really advise the government so? And if the government does not heed to his advice was it not incumbent on Atmaram Nadkarni to put in his papers. The dubious and very fishy role of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni in this recent round of 28 petitions filed by the mining companies is suspect with one of his own junior rather tout representing the mining companies in at least 9 of those petitions. This whole renewal drama of the mining lease seems to be a pre-planned cooked strategy and the theatrical rhetoric that we heard was just another of Atmaram Nadkarni‘s cock and bull story in attempting to pull the wool over our eyes. How can an Advocate General who is a known legal messiah of the mining companies be able to give a fair and unadulterated legal advice to the Government on the mining issue and the mining policy? All those involved in Goa illegal mining loot are now seen lined up at the Atmaram Nadkarni’s office on 18th June road which has virtually become the de-facto headquarters of Goa’s Mines and Geology department. For the last two and half years Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has been promising to recover those Rs 35,000 crores looted in the Goa Mining scam. But the writing is on the wall. No one will be punished and not a paisa will be recovered. That mining plunder which accelerated from the year 2000 has been an all party venture and loot with the Congress, BJP, NCP and MGP having all feasted from the pie with Manohar Parrikar himself having also been the Chief Minister of Goa from 24 October 2000 to 2 February 2005. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] BAN ALL EXTENSIONS IN SERVICE
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar while as the Leader of the Opposition use to raise a ruckus over extensions in service and contract appointments being given to retiring government officers by the then government. Now, over the last two and a half years, he has been selectively doling out extensions to his preferred officials. As nobody is indispensable there needs to be a total embargo on these extensions in service and contract appointments as it amounts to a cruel and grave injustice to the young unemployed and those young officers awaiting promotion. Infact the government needs to revert the retirement age from 60 to 58 and bring hope to the young unemployed. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had promised a Parivartan and good governance but he seems to be going out of the way to secure the interests of his family and coterie of friends. Earlier this year at the Goa Medical College he gave the Professor of Radiology Dr. Mahesh Sardessai a year’s extension despite the others in line Dr. Jeevan Vernekar, Dr. Sanjay Sardessai and Dr (Mrs.) Renny Furtado all Associate Professors being extremely competent to head the department. But Dr Mahesh Sardessai being the father-in-law of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s elder son Utpal is the first and only Professor at GMC to reap an extension. We also all know how Manohar Parrikar after taking over as Chief Minister very swiftly appointed another of his relative Kurupati Dwarkanath Row to the very high constitutional post as the Chairman of Goa Public Service Commission. Row is a relative of Manohar Parrikar’s younger son Abhijat as well as the Chief Minister’s brother Avdhut. Leaders who live out on nepotism have no chance to build a culture of trust. For the sake of Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar needs to look beyond his Parivar. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] LEST WE FORGET GOA’S TWO IMMORTAL HEROES
It was appropriate that on August 12th this year the government unveiled a statue of Goa’s first Chief Minister late Dayanand Bandodkar on his death anniversary at the Secretariat Complex in Porvorim. It would be equally befitting if on 17th October which is Dr Jack Sequeira’s death anniversary a statue of our Father of the Opinion poll finds a place alongside Dayanand Bandodkar. Successive governments despite their assurances have done nothing in memory of Goa’s first Leader of the Opposition Dr Jack Sequeira. But for Dr Jack Sequeira’s then tireless efforts during that historic Opinion Poll which was held on 16th January 1967, Goa today would have been languishing as a mere district if not taluka of Maharashtra with less than a handful of MLAs representing us. Though Dayanand Bandodkar may have initially been for merging Goa with Maharastra, he respected the people’s verdict and later with Dr Jack Sequeira as the fiery voice of the Opposition they toiled with a vision and passion towards the development of Goa. Unlike many of today’s politicians who are self-centered, they relentlessly raised and pursued issues concerning the backward, down-trodden, and neglected communities of Goa. Leaders of their integrity, honesty and commitment we may now never see in this arena of political pygmies. Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira dared to speak from their heart and always walk the talk. Only a few of such politicians still remain in our midst and will also be always remembered for the good they have done for Goa. About the rest and in particularly some of the current politicians in power who have been steering and navigating Goa down the tube there will be no obituary to write and no land remaining to even raise a Samadhi, leave alone a statue. It is imperative that students today in our schools and colleges should be made aware of the very rich and invaluable contribution to Goa by Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira. They cannot be consigned as our forgotten heroes. Jack Sequeira and Dayanand Bandodkar must be rolling in their heavenly abode at the way Goa is being uncaringly misgoverned today. As a school student I had the privilege of interacting with both Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira. I recollect with nostalgia witnessing those great debates by Dr Jack Sequeira in the Legislative Assembly and the pointed but witty replies by Dayanand Bandodkar who by the way came nowhere close to be an IITian. Today the Goa Legislative assembly has been reduced to a classroom kept entertained with the tales of Birbal being narrated. Politics today is no longer a mission, not even an honest profession. It has been abridged to a scoundrel’s last resort. It has become a ruthless business, with morals and ethics twisted, thrown to the winds, and long buried deep in the slush of ignorance and thuggery. Those belonging to a genre of politicians with qualities of head and heart cannot survive in today’s political pitch as he has to be thick skinned and a hypocrite to the core. Having to be always ready to breach and bend all the rules to survive. It is distressing to see and be witness to the continuing rampant destruction and devastation of Goa. In 2012 we were promised a ‘Parivartan’ and in 2014 lured again with ‘ache Din’, but Goa is sadly by the day just getting further corroded beyond recognition. It should have been the endeveaour of those in power to at least salvage and safeguard what remains of Goa. Unfortunately Goa is getting defaced at an electrifying speed. Posterity will never forgive the rulers of recent years for their selfish and dubious role in this irreparable damage and destruction of what was once a beautiful Goa, the Paradise of the East. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA CHIEF MINISTER LEAVES FOR GERMANY
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni have this afternoon left on a 10 day holiday. This time it is not to Pattaya in Thailand but sources in the Secretariat reveal that they are off to Germany. Possibly they will use their holiday together besides other things to come up with some innovative justification which is long overdue to submit to the Comptroller Accountant General (CAG) on the very high fees being paid to the Advocate General. They chose a good juncture to escape from a water inundated Goa! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] IN ALFRED’S DEATH WE HAVE LOST A GOAN WHO LOVED GOA
While we celebrate the 20th anniversary which Goanet completed on the 25th of this month, we are today struck with the very sad news that our fellow Goa-netter Alfred de Tavares is no more. Met him many years ago at the house of Emiliano de Cruz in Loutolim. Sweden based Alfred was quite active on the Goanet and he did email me sometimes with an advice or two which was always much appreciated. May Alfred’s soul rest in eternal peace. Goanet has over the last two decades been a very fruitful forum giving Goans across the world a platform to know each other and debate on varied issues concerning India and Goa in particular. Every Goa-netter is very grateful to Herman Carneiro who conceptualized and launched this great idea GOANET in 1994. We are also very thankful to the entire Admin team over the years for keeping this forum going and churning it more vibrant by the year. The role of Frederick Noronha, Bosco D’Mello and other moderators who as pro-active catalysts have been a great asset in energizing the Goanet engine. Every Goa-netter remains indebted to them. May Goanet move from strength to strength. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SAFEGUARDING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY
To ensure the highest standards of judicial independence and to ward off even the faintest trace of governmental influence on the judiciary, there needs to be at least a two year “cooling off period for retiring judges before they accept any post retirement posting. As judicial independence of Judges rests entirely on maintaining an incorruptible detachment from the government of the day it cannot be allowed to be morally compromised by lobbying for cushy post-retirement sinecure postings. We have witnessed instances where Judges have fixed their retirement nests much prior to even demitting office. In times when the Indian Judiciary is passing through a turbulent phase, this “jobs-for-the-judges” syndrome could place judges potentially open to governmental influence leaving scope for pre-retirement judgments being predisposed by the craving of a “post-retirement job. While there is need of concerted efforts towards propping up standards of judicial accountability, there is a very disturbing disquiet over the slippery slope on which judicial values are slithering. The news that the former Chief Justice of India P Sathasivam who just retired on 26th April this year is tipped to be the next Governor of Kerala will only raise eyebrows one too many. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WHERE IS SANJIT RODRIGUES?
Over the last week several parts of Panaji have been submerged under knee deep water. But Sanjit Rodrigues the Commissioner of the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) who should have been piloting the relief and rescue work is nowhere to be seen. He is also the Managing Director of the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC). Nobody at either the CCP or the GISDC know about the whereabouts of Sanjit Rodrigues. All that they know is that Sanjit Rodrigues has not reported to work for over a week. Neither do they know whether he is on leave, sick leave or on an official tour. Even the personnel department at the Secretariat which keeps a tab on the movement of all officers is clueless. So is the Director of Municipal Administration to whom all administrative heads of Municipal bodies report. At the CCP they say that Sanjit Rodrigues was hiding not to have to bear the brunt of the striking CCP workers who had been demanding his removal. But with that strike now withdrawn Sanjit Rodrigues should have resurfaced. Another theory doing the rounds is that Sanjit Rodrigues may have slipped off to Germany to prepare the ground work for Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni who left yesterday on a 10 day holiday. If Sanjit Rodrigues does not report for work this week, it would be clear that he has infact been guarding the Berlin wall! Ironically while all other officers are transferred every three years if not earlier, is it not surprising that Sanjit Rodrigues has managed to retain his prized and very rewarding posting as Managing Director of GSIDC for over five years? It has been Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s strict fiat to all government staff that they should keep a log even if they step out from office for a cup of tea. Here it is over a week and nobody knows where Sanjit Rodrigues is. Is there no accountability for someone just because he is perceived to be a blue eyed errand boy of the Chief Minister? For that matter Sanjit Rodrigues has mastered the recipe of dancing to the whimsical tunes of every Chief Minister. No mean task, is it? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR LANDS IN EUROPE
Sources have confirmed that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar accompanied by his flamboyant Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni have today arrived in Europe on a ten day holiday. They had left Goa last evening via Mumbai accompanied also by State BJP treasurer Sanjeev Desai. Why was so much secrecy maintained over this Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s Europe trip? What was there the need for Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni to skip the High Court and escort Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar? Does it have anything to do with the mining leases that the government is all set to renew? If yes, it may not be a small transaction. It is pertinent to note that after that High Court verdict on 13th August, the Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni had publicly stated that the judgment would be challenged in the Supreme Court but Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on the very same day spoke exactly to the contrary. So was there a deal under the table and behind the scenes? By the way for this Europe trip did Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar secure prior political clearance from the Prime Minister as required by the new rules framed for all visits overseas by the Chief Minister and Ministers including their personal trips? And finally who is footing the bill of this 10 day outing? Is it the mine owners? Let’s hope it is not a junket. We shall soon know. And Goa’s Education Minister Manohar Parrikar will be celebrating this year’s Teacher’s day (Guru Utsav) in Europe. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] U TURN BY ARUN JAITLEY?
While in the Opposition Arun Jaitley had always vehemently demanded a two year cooling period before retiring judges take up any post-retirement posting. Is it now a U turn by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on former Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam who retired on 26th April this year and is being swiftly groomed by the Narendra Modi led NDA to be the next Governor of Kerala. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CS SERVED LEGAL NOTICE ON NON FUNCTIONAL AND UN-UPDATED GOVERNMENT WEBSITES
A legal notice has been served on the Chief Secretary of Goa over the non-functional and failure to regularly update government websites. The Chief Secretary has been given 15 days to ensure that all government department websites are made functional and regularly updated and to also appoint a Public Information Officer in the office of the Advocate General as was directed by the State Information Commission in 2011. Section 4 of the RTI Act mandates that all information should be uploaded and regularly updated on all government websites. The lackadaisical approach of the government in not complying with the mandate of the RTI Act defeats the very purpose of the Act which was enacted for the welfare of the masses and meant to usher in transparency in the functioning of government institutions. There is a concern that the websites are intentionally kept non-functional under the guise that they have been hacked only to deny the public their rightful access to information. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had last year stated in the Goa Legislative Assembly that people would not require to seek information under the RTI Act as all file notings would be uploaded on the Government websites. That assurance of the Chief Minister has to date only been consigned to the racks. The authorities should make available on the Goa Government website the official and private tours of the Chief Minister and Ministers so that the public at large are aware of their whereabouts. By an order dated 17th March 2011 order of the Goa State Information Commission had directed the Chief Secretary to appoint within 45 days a Public Information Officer to exclusively furnish information pertaining to the office of the Advocate General and had also directed that all information pertaining to the Advocate General’s office be documented and published electronically within three months. These directions to date have not been complied with. If the government can pour crores of rupees down the drain on foreign junkets for Ministers and Officers to make merry at the taxpayer’s expense, there could be no reason why the government cannot find the money to keep all the websites functional and updated so that the public can freely access all information which they are entitled to under the Right to Information Act. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] FORMER DoP SHOBHA DHUMASKAR DIRECTED TO FACE TRIAL ON CORRUPTION CHARGES
The Goa CBI Court has today directed Goa’s former Director of Prosecution Mrs. Shobha Dhumaskar to face trial on corruption charges under Section 13 (2) read with Section 13 (1) (d) (i) (ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The Court rejected the devious plea by the Anti- Corruption branch (ACB) which was seeking to close the corruption case against Shobha Dhumaskar. While seeking to close the case the ACB had informed the Court that though the corruption case against Shobha Dhumaskar was true the evidence was weak to charge sheet Mrs. Dhumaskar as the loss to the exchequer was only Rs 61,200 and that the amount was being recovered. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had on 7th May last year by a written order approved the closure of the corruption case against Shobha Dhumaskar. It was obviously to reward Shobha . Dhumaskar for having issued a circular on 29th May 2012 directing all Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors to withdraw all criminal cases against politicians. Despite all his tall talk on Zero tolerance to Corruption in spite of a F.I.R having being registered against Shobha Dhumaskar, the Chief Mr. Manohar Parrikar instead of suspending her had high-handedly given her two extensions in service along with a very hefty pay hike. On 5th August 2011 a complaint was filed with the Anti- Corruption Branch against Shobha Dhumaskar for her alleged corrupt act and causing loss to the State exchequer. A 76 sq mts flat at ‘Mutual Apartments’, at Panaji was leased by the then Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar in a manner showing undue favoritism and causing loss to the State exchequer. Shobha Dhumaskar went out of the way to lease that flat without issuing a public advertisement and she had permitted the owners of the flat undue financial advantage at the cost of the State exchequer intentionally causing a huge financial loss to the State Exchequer. As the Anti Corruption Branch declined to register the F.I.R against Shobha Dhumaskar a petition was filed before the Special Court under the Prevention of corruption Act which on 21st April 2012 directed that an F.I.R be registered against Shobha Dhumaskar. The battle against corruption is not an easy one. It has been over three years since the complaint against Shobha Dhumaskar was filed. At least now the decks have cleared for the former Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar to be herself prosecuted. The long arm of the law slowly but surely catches up. It will be an interesting trial to watch. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] AN ILLEGAL TINKERING WITH THE CrPc
The recent session of the Goa Legislative Assembly passed a bill amending the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. The bill was hurriedly bull-dozed through without even a discussion. The Criminal Procedure Code (Cr PC) is a Central Legislation and a State Legislature has no competence to amend a Central Law. Under Article 254(2)of the Constitution, it is provided that “Where a law made by the Legislature of a State with respect to one of the matters enumerated in the concurrent List contains any provision repugnant to the provisions of an earlier law made by Parliament or an existing law with respect to that matter, then, the law so made by the Legislature of such State shall, if it has been reserved for the consideration of the President and has received his assent, prevail in that State: Provided that nothing in this clause shall prevent Parliament from enacting at any time any law with respect to the same matter including a law adding to, amending, varying or repealing the law so made by the Legislature of the State.” Besides, the CrPC would fall in the realm of occupied field and it is well settled that once the Parliament has made a law on the subject, the State Legislature cannot make any law adding to or varying such Legislation. Hence, on the grounds of Legislative competence and the doctrine of occupied field, the amendment passed by the Goa Legislative Assembly is void and has no effect. On merits, the Legislation suffers from a vital defect. It seeks to give a right of hearing to “Public Prosecutor/Government Counsel/ Pleader and the Superintendent of Police”. Under the scheme of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 there is no role for Government Counsel or Pleader to appear for the State in a Criminal Court. It is only a Public Prosecutor alone or a Special Public Prosecutor who can appear and represent the State/Prosecution. Why then notice to the Superintendent of Police? Is this to stifle the voice of the Public Prosecutor? The SP is not the officer-in-charge of a Police Station who is required to register an offence and it is only an officer-in-charge of a Police Station who may be asked to explain as to his reasons for non-registration or refusal to register a complaint as an FIR. So also, no directions can go to an SP, to register an FIR as it is elementary that on a Petition/complaint filed before the Court directions can only be issued to an officer in charge of a Police Station. Furthermore, an application under Section 156(3) CrPC, 1973 is disposed by an Order in the nature of an administrative Order, which also is not susceptible of being challenged by way of a Revision Petition, but merely a Writ Petition. At the stage of passing an Order under Section 156(3) CrPC, 1973, the Magistrate is not required to go into the truth of the allegations. Instead, he merely has to see if the complaint makes out a cognizable offence or not and be required to pass a reasoned order in this regard ensuring that there is a cognizable case made out. The Public Prosecutor steps in only after the charge-sheet is filed and has no role before its filing. The Full Bench of the Bombay High Court in Panchabhai Popatbai Butani, has held that without even filing appeal before the SP, an applicant can approach the Magistrate under Section 156(3) Cr PC, though ordinarily, resort to this action ought to be before approaching the Magistrate. So where is the role for SP again? Why is the Goa government so afraid of the decisions that may be passed by the Magistrates? The government should respect the wisdom of the Judiciary and not oppose matters just for the sake of it by hook or crook. Are the dark days of democracy hovering around? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WHAT A DISTINCTION!
Goa’s former Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar has now attained the distinction of being India‘s first former Director of Prosecution to be prosecuted on corruption charges. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar desperately tried to save her on the most absurd ground that the pecuniary loss she caused to the State exchequer was a mere Rs 61,200. What a sad state of affairs and it could only have happened in Goa where the levels of corruption have peaked and are only further soaring. Will the Chief Minister explain to us what he really means in his much publicized mantra of Zero Tolerance to corruption? Is corruption upto Rs 61,200 acceptable and condonable? At least the law does not differentiate on the quantum of amount involved in a corrupt act. And the law also does not forgive you if you refund the amount you have swindled through a corrupt act. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] PM MODI’S INTERVENTION SOUGHT OVER GOA AG’S HIGH FEES
Have today in public interest sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the very high fees being paid by the Goa Government to the Advocate General of Goa Mr. Atmaram Nadkarni. In a letter faxed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi today it has been pointed out that it was irrational and inexplicable that Goa despite being the smallest state was not only hosting India's highest paid Advocate General but the country's highest paid public servant. The President of India is paid Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1, 00,000 and a High Court Judge Rs 80,000 but the Advocate General of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni is being paid up to a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 on his every visit to Delhi which was nothing short of a day light loot and plunder of the public exchequer. The Prime Minister has been informed that the Goa Government has paid Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. Though even the Chief Minister travels by economy class, the Advocate General is flying by business class with the Government having spent Rs 10, 14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by the Advocate General from January 2013 to March 2014. The Prime Minister has been urged to direct the Goa Government to forthwith reply to the queries raised by Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) on the high fees being paid to the Advocate General. Prime Minister Modi’s attention has also been drawn that inspite of having been sent two reminders the Goa Government has failed to submit its explanation and justification to CAG on the very high fees being paid to the Advocate General. Prime Minister Modi has been given details of the comparative study made by CAG with the states of Haryana, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and having found that the fees being paid to the Advocate General of Goa are very high. The Advocate General is a very high Constitutional authority and should never be someone who has a lust for wealth or having vested interest with any lobby. The Prime Minister’s attention has also been drawn that the Advocate General of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni who has close links with the Mining, Casino and Builder’s lobby was in violation of ethics and in conflict of interest appearing directly and indirectly in cases against the Government. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA CANNOT GO THE ATMARAM WAY
Despite the fact that the Goa Government has almost two football teams of Government Advocates in the High Court, seldom can they be seen addressing the Court on merits of any matter. Except for one or two, the rest merely occupy the front row and flock around Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni and rest like candle-stands awaiting His Master's diktats. The Goa government pays Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni over a crore a year and further lakhs of rupees are squandered on the government advocates most of whom are only good for seeking adjournments. Dattaprasad Lawande who is a close relative of Atmaram Nadkarni besides being the Government Advocate in the High Court and also the Additional Public Prosecutor was recently further crowned as Assistant Solicitor General (ASG) to defend the Central government before the High Court. As to how Narendra Modi allowed this manipulation apparently by Atmaram Nadkarni in connivance with Manohar Parrikar is a big question. Dattaprasad Lawande as Additional Public Prosecutor itself gets a flat salary of one lakh a month though he rarely appears in any criminal matter. Besides further pocketing a bumper as the Government Advocate he now also additionally milks the exchequer as the Assistant Solicitor General. All these titles are ornamental just to draw in the huge moolah but all he does is be a very obedient page boy of his relative Atmaram Nadkarni at all times who does all the talking and the scribbling. In all other states the Advocate General appears only in important and Constitutional matters while the other government advocates take care of other matters. But in Goa Atmaram Nadkarni appears in almost every matter as he pockets Rs 10,000 every time he stands up in the High Court. His battalion of over twenty advocates stand up only to adjourn matters and that is what they are possibly only trained for. The very knowledgeable and extremely dignified Government Advocate Amey Kakodkar decided to put in his papers possibly for not being able to cope up and submit to Atmaram Nadkarni’s manipulation and tantriks. The other experienced hand Manish Salkar is hardly assigned any cases as it is the Writ of Atmaram Nadkarni that prevails. Are we heading for the old adage My ship, My order? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] TIME FOR THE CHIEF MINISTER TO STOP STRAYING
With all his MLAs including most from the Opposition too all tamed and caged, it was expected that in his two and half long years in office Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar would have at least if nothing else cleared the cattle straying on the public roads especially the highways. But sorrowfully the problem is only getting worse by the day endangering precious human lives. Who is the Chief Minister waiting for? After the cattle are rounded up, he has to on a war footing next embark upon the stray dog menace which has peaked to alarming levels with packs of them in every nook and corner of Goa. And will the Chief Minister ever get down to dealing with the disquieting rats and cockroaches which have infested most government hospitals and in particular the Goa Medical College. All his other tall promises including the pledge of Good Governance, Zero tolerance to Corruption, Regional Plan, Garbage free Goa and the long buried vow to drive away the Casinos from the River Mandovi seem to be all destined for the cold storage. While Manohar Parrikar and his cronies make merry, very sorrowing lies the state of our Goa as it by the day drifts further and further astray. Amen. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE ROAD AHEAD FOR SANJIT RODRIGUES
Sources in Srinagar have confirmed that Sanjit Rodrigues did arrive there on August 25th around lunch time by Air India Flight No 866 which arrived from Goa via Delhi. By the way Sanjit Rodrigues’s encounter and ordeal with the floods there may actually be for him a blessing in disguise. With his over five year experience as Managing Director of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), the jack of all trades and the man of all seasons may be the right person Kashmir desperately needs at this crucial juncture to rebuild its now devastated infrastructure from scratch. But unlike Goa those bridges and buildings would have to be without cracks and crevices besides being terror proof. And there would be also no room for manipulation and moolah like it has been flowing at the GSIDC. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] HELMETS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR PERILOUS ROADS
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has taken the sensible decision to enforce helmets only on the highways. The thrust of the government should be on first urgently tackling the causes of the increasing number of road accidents. The roads across Goa are in a pathetic and very critical state. With such large craters on most roads a helmet by itself may be of no succor. There also needs to be a total crackdown on drunken driving and reckless over speeding. Unlicensed drivers should be severely penalized and kept off the road. My friend Sudin Dhavlikar should get his eye balls off the bikini and keep focused on making our roads safer. He should get cracking as besides being the Transport Minister he is also holding the PWD portfolio. In 2003 during his earlier term as Chief Minister it was announced by Manohar Parrikar that anyone spotting a pothole on any road would be rewarded with Rs 1000. Is the offer still on Mr. CM? For a financially wrecked government, may be this time around it should be an award for a road without a pothole, as there is none. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CM SHOULD STOP WAGGING HIS TONGUE AGAINST THE JUDICIARY
After that very forked tongue lashing unleashed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar against the Goa Judiciary in the last session of the Goa Legislative Assembly there most disturbingly seems to be a very visible high level of fear psychosis generated amongst many Judges across Goa. This augurs very shoddily for the independence and sovereignty of the Judiciary. It is surprising that the Chief Justice of our High Court has not taken cognizance of this repeated uncalled for onslaught on the Judiciary by the Chief Minister. Neither Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar nor his very controversial Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni should be allowed to arm twist or intimidate judges in order to obtain favourable orders. Judges are answerable and accountable only to the Chief Justice and not to the Chief Minister who would like them to dance to his whims and fancies. The Courts should never be subject to improper influence from the government. A truly independent and impartial judiciary is vital for the rule of law to prevail at all times. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WE CANNOT BE INCONVENIENCED BY VVIPs
Vice-President of India Hamid Ansari who was on a two day visit to Goa was yet another VVIP responsible for utter traffic chaos at many places with roads unnecessarily closed in advance to make way for his convoy. All this despite the Supreme Court and various High Courts taking strong objection to closing of roads by the traffic police only to facilitate smooth travelling for VVIPs. Hundreds of policemen who were diverted from maintaining law and order were posted all along the route from Panaji right to the Airport. Under the guise of VVIP security this has now become more a matter of routine than a protective measure. The Margao-Panaji highway at Verna was closed for almost an hour with no provision for even an ambulance to steer through. Closing down roads without making alternative arrangements is in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed to us under Article 14, 19 and 21 of our Constitution. This indiscriminately blocking of key roads should be strongly deprecated with the message loud and clear to the VVIPs that they are not welcome to Goa if it is to create traffic chaos and disorder. Traffic cannot come to a standstill just because of a VVIP. We are all entitled to lead our normal lives. Every ordinary citizen’s time and respect is as important as that of any VVIP. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA’S SAFFRONISED SECRETARIAT
The Constitution of India envisages that the bureaucracy has to be absolutely non-partisan. Government offices should never have been places to unload party cadres. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has yesterday publicly admitted that all government jobs are being given to BJP workers. Infact after coming to power in March 2012, Manohar Parrikar had in the name of cleansing the system swiftly cancelled appointments of hundreds of government employees made by the earlier regime. But over the last two and a half years despite the state coffers being in doldrums Manohar Parrikar has had the audacity of recruiting thousands by creating a route to infiltrate his party cadres into the administration. Merit has been no criteria. The advertisements and the selection process is a mere formality with the chosen candidates identified much earlier. Ironically with crores of rupees being spent on e-governance the size of the bureaucracy should have been actually halved but it has been bulging by the day and has almost reached 60,000 which is extremely steep for a small state like Goa. The now saffronised Goa Government Secretariat at Porvorim has virtually become the BJP headquarters. It only remains to officially switch the tricolor by hoisting the BJP party flag. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] FOR A BETTER GOA
Towards a truly Swachh Goa the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar must first find a broom that can cleanse the rampant corruption in his government by sweeping away the corrupt Ministers to begin with. For transparency and accountability in the working of the government, the Chief Minister should immediately appoint independent minded Information Commissioners as the working of the State Information Commission continues paralyzed for over two and half years. We also need forthwith a sturdy Lokayukta to keep a watchful eye on the unbridled corruption and nepotism that has reached its peak under Manohar Parrikar at the helm of affairs. Only then could we hope for a better and possibly even a greener Goa. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WILL RAJENDRA ARLEKAR GO THE JAYALALITHAA WAY?
After Tamil Nadu’s Jayalalithaa will Goa Speaker Rajendra Arlekar’s disproportionate assets case give him the distinction of landing up as the first guest at the upcoming Goa Central Jail at Colvale? *On 9th February 2012* in an affidavit filed before the Chief Electoral Officer Rajendra Arlekar had shown his income for the year 2010-2011 as Rs 2,76,671 and that of his wife Anagha Deshpande Arlekar who is a school teacher as Rs 5,87,186. Rajendra Arlekar prima facie concealed the real income earned by him from his HP petrol pump dealership “Om Shree Vetobaa” located at Vasco. In that affidavit he had shown his total liabilities by way of loans etc as Rs 30,54,314 and further liabilities by way of Government dues as Rs 2,64,734. *On 31st July 2013* in his statement of assets and liabilities filed before the Goa Lokayukta his liabilities were shown as nil. Within a short span of just over a year after becoming Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly how was he able to clear his huge liabilities of over 33 lakhs? The income of Rajendra Arlekar’s wife which was Rs 5,87,186 in 2010-2011 shot up to Rs 9,32,278 in the year 2012-2013. *On 26th August 2013* Speaker Rajendra Arlekar purchased a 500 sq mt plot at Porvorim on a payment of Rs 72 lakhs. Sale deed does not reveal the mode of payment, whether amount was paid by cash, cheque, or draft. He also paid an amount of Rs 2,52,000 towards stamp duty and a further Rs 2,16,280 as registration and processing fees of that Sale deed. It has been sought that Rajendra Arlekar be booked under Section 13 (1) (d) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and Section 120-B of IPC along with Section 34 of IPC. If the investigation reveals that Rajendra Arlekar has further bought any other properties his vows would only compound. For a truly Swachh Goa there first needs to be an absolute Zero Tolerance to Corruption. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] NARCINVA PANVELCAR NO MORE
Ribandar’s former Municipal Councilor Narcinva Panvelcar passed away yesterday. He was always jovial and had a very unique sense of humor. The very gregarious Narcinva never ever hesitated to dig into his pockets to help the poor and needy. My condolences to his bereaved wife Nisha, son Vikram and his family. May my friend Narcinva’s soul rest in eternal peace. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] TAX PAYER’S MONEY NEEDS TO BE SPENT JUDICIOUSLY
As Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar repetitively rues about the financial crisis the State coffer is reeling under, the obvious sensible thrust of his government should have been to meticulously curb all avoidable wasteful expenditure. Today in the name of laying a foundation stone for the widening of the Ribandar- Old Goa bypass an unnecessary gala function was organized. Lakhs must have been poured down the drain on those huge newspaper advertisements itself. Couldn’t all this waste have been avoided? All that money could have been used to fix the pothole ridden roads across Goa. There needs to be a rigorous fiscal responsibility and accountability in every paisa being spent from the State exchequer. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar should be backed on any good initiative that he undertakes but should be mercilessly hounded when he allows public money to be recklessly squandered and poured down the drain. As people of Goa are running out of patience, Manohar Parrikar needs to forthwith stop talking and start delivering. As a custodian of people’s best interests he has to thread with a vision and foresight, otherwise he may go down in the books of history as Goa’s worst ever Chief Minister who despite a clear mandate and being positioned at a vantage point miserably failed to deliver. The choice is yours, Mr. Chief Minister. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues witter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA’S SPINELESS AND PUPPET CHIEF SECRETARY RETIRES
Goa is relieved today with the retirement of the very slimy Chief Secretary B. Vijayan. He may retire but the illegalities he has allowed in the administration over the last two and a half years may come to haunt him for years to come. Infact after Manohar Parrikar came to power in March 2012, Vijayan maneuvered to illegally get himself elevated to the post of Chief Secretary much to the consternation of the Union Home Ministry. To shore up his retirement benefits he recently stage-managed things at the Ministry of Home affairs while illegally and irregularly getting himself promoted to the Apex scale so that his pension benefits get enhanced. Vijayan has been also been frantically lobbying for a post retirement job in Goa as a reward for his loyalty to Manohar Parrikar. We shall soon know on this retirement nest. The bureaucracy should have been truly independent and impartial but sadly in Goa it is not living up to this reputation. The bureaucrats in Goa have totally surrendered to the political rot. The Chief Secretary who heads the bureaucracy should have led by example and kept the administration free from political interference. But B. Vijayan has shamelessly by bending and bowing all over, signed on the dotted line at the dictates of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. On 13th Dec last year, the entire bureaucracy led by Chief Secretary Vijayan queued up at the BJP office in Panaji to greet Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on his birthday. This was totally out of place because no government servant should ever have an occasion to visit the office of a political party. The Conduct Rules also prohibits such acts. They could have wished the Chief Minister or even kissed his feet at his office in the Secretariat or his official residence. Over the years we have seen successive governments using bureaucrats as pawns in their political games, but the situation now has reached a flash point under this current one man Manohar Parrikar regime. And it is precisely to achieve his nefarious ends, that Manohar Parrikar was crying hoarse that incompetent officers are being sent by the former Central Government. He obviously wanted officers who do not advise nor question, but just shut up and listen. We need to stem the rot over this interdependent chronic relationship that exists between Ministers and civil servants. May be its time the parameters of the relationship between ministers and civil servants is made abundantly clear by having a code of conduct and ethics for bureaucrats and ministers which ensures a neutral relationship between ministers and civil servants. This code of conduct and ethics should clearly outline the division of responsibility between the ministers and civil servants with the fundamental focus being on the political neutrality and impartiality of civil servants preserved at all costs. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CHIEF SECRETARY DESIGNATE K.K.SHARMA NO ALIEN TO GOA
Chief Secretary designate Kewal Kumar Sharma is no stranger to Goa. We would now have our very own son-in-law as the Chief Secretary of the State. K.K.Sharma, a 1983- batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre was first posted in Goa as Deputy Collector at Margao, a post he held from 1st August 1985 to 1st June 1987. It is when he met his life partner to be Ninette Vas who was then a practicing lawyer in Margao. A decade later Kewal Sharma was once again posted in Goa as Revenue Secretary from 1st March 1997 to 7th October 1999. Kewal Sharma who is currently advisor to the Chandigarh Administrator is due to retire on 28th February 2018. With Goa’s new Chief Secretary having deep roots here, the longstanding aspiration of Goans for Special Status may just get the much needed push. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] PRUDENT MEDIA IS 8
Today is Prudent News channel’s 8th anniversary. After having set shop from a small flat at Miramar, the Prudent Media has over the last eight years moved from strength to strength. Under the current able stewardship of the always gregarious Pramod Acharya, the very energetic, creative, and cohesive Prudent team has unfailingly displayed very high levels of professional ethics in its conduct and fair reporting. The Prudent channel viewers get to watch extensive news coverage from across Goa besides diversified programs on health, sports, culture, and the rest. Pramod Acharya’s incisive interviews and brainstorming debates are always enlightening. And with his thought provoking satire loaded program ‘Just imagine’ Paresh Parab is always the Man of the Match. Today with voice of the opposition totally decimated and throttled both at the Centre and in Goa, the Press has to play the much needed vital role in acting as a vigilant watch-dog. Ironically Manohar Parrikar and Narendra Modi, who both made maximum use of the media to ride to power, now want the fourth estate to sit back by being a mute and passive spectator. Former US Senator Christopher Dodd had said “When the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered”. May Prudent Media continue to play its vibrant role and mission in continuing to highlight issues that concern Goa and Goans. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WILL JUDGE DESMOND D’COSTA ACQUITTING SAMEER MAPARI’S KILLERS PASS THE HIGH COURT TEST?
One of the most acclaimed American writer Lois McMaster Bujold had said “The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them”. Today on Dussehra which commemorates the victory of God Rama over the demon King Ravana for Sita the grieving mother of late Sameer Mapari from Xelvona it has been a long fight against how the alleged killers of her only son have walked free. The Bombay High Court at Goa has reserved the verdict on the challenge to the order passed by then Margao Additional Sessions Judge Desmond D’Costa acquitting the three accused in the 2007 killing of Sameer Mapari. The legality of the acquittal will be examined by the High Court to see whether the wheels of justice in the case had strictly moved in accordance with law. The three accused Rajesh Desai, Balesh Desai and Vinay Desai were on 20th Feb last year acquitted of murder charges by Judge Desmond D’Costa. The main accused Rajesh Desai is the younger brother of former BJP MLA and Industries Minister Ramrao Desai. Judge Desmond D’Costa’s wife Jyoti Dhond is the Director and General Manager of BJP run Marathi daily newspaper ‘Goa Doot’ besides being a very close confidante of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The Prosecution case was that the three accused hatched a criminal conspiracy to eliminate their former employee Sameer Mapari while taking him to the farm house of the main accused Rajesh Desai and intentionally causing his death by deceitful means. The Prosecution in the case had examined 100 witnesses. A bear reading of Judge Desmond D’Costa’s order acquitting the three accused leaves a lot to question. Any Court judgment which smacks of tilted scales of justice cannot be allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged. Did Judge Desmond D’Costa err in rejecting the case of the Prosecution that the dead body was infact that of Sameer Mapari despite it being proved beyond any doubt. Was it not a wrong finding by Judge Desmond D’Costa that the DNA report was negative though factually the report did not state so? As it is undisputed that the death of the Sameer Mapari was homicidal, did Judge Desmond D’Costa fail to appreciate that the Prosecution had proved the motive of the crime which was evident from the deposition of various witnesses including the mother of late Sameer Mapari. In order to discard the case of the Prosecution was the evidence selectively utilized without true appreciation of the effect of the entire evidence. Did Judge Desmond D’Costa lay undue importance on the missing report vis-à-vis the identification mark of the deceased and the nature of the shirt that was worn by him on whether, it was a ‘T’ shirt or a bush-shirt. The public revelation by the Public Prosecutor Sarojini Sardinha that she was politically pressurized during the trial is a matter of grave concern that the High Court would also have to take cognizance of. The faith of the citizens and the public at large stands shaken with such revelations. The murder trial of these three accused was going on before the South Goa Principal Sessions Judge Nutan Sardessai but the politically well connected accused in August 2012 managed to get the proceedings transferred before Additional Sessions Judge Desmond D’Costa. If the High Court upholds Judge Desmond D’Costa’s order than he should definitely be in the line of consideration for elevation to the High Court. But if the verdict goes the other way, Judge Desmond D’Costa deserves to be on his way home. The now much awaited High Court judgment will decide it all. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] WHEN THE GOVERNMENT VIOLATES THE LAW
Nobody is above the law. As a right step towards a truly Swachh Goa the Government in all its projects should first lead by example and meticulously follow all the rules and regulations. Over the last two and half years there are examples galore of gross illegalities and the high-handed circumventing of the law by the Manohar Parrikar government. On 25th of September Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is also the Planning Minister hurriedly inaugurated the Yojana Bhavan to house the Directorate of Planning, Statistics and Evaluation at Pundalik Nagar in Porvorim without on that day the building having a valid occupancy certificate. That the local Panchayat was kept away from the function is another issue. The haste was to dedicate the building to the RSS and Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary. Manohar Parrikar had promised good governance and total transparency in the functioning of the administration. But starkly, that might is right and absolute abuse of power has become the order of the day. Would take the liberty in sharing with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar the words of the great moral and social philosopher Eric Hoffer “Those in possession of absolute power can not only prophesy and make their prophecies come true, but they can also lie and make their lies come true”. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] RTI PROGRAMME ON 4th OCTOBER
On Saturday 4th October at 9 am in the Central Library hall at Patto, Panaji the Goa RTI Forum has organized a programme on the Right to Information Act. Please attend and kindly inform your friends too. Let RTI always be our invaluable weapon to ensure transparency and accountability in public life. The device to unravel as well as expose corruption and nepotism. With the RTI Act we can together work towards a better and corruption free Swachh Goa. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA NOW NEEDS TO SAVE ITSELF FROM MANOHAR PARRIKAR
On 9th March 2012 when Manohar Parrikar became the Chief Minister the people of Goa had high expectations. But Goans have been shoddily let down. He had promised that after lessons from his part mistakes that he would be a reformed Manohar Parrikar. But just as the dog’s tail never straightens, his autocratic and revengeful traits with his puffed up arrogance has only further swollen. It is now on full display. His government is already half way through its term but the escalating corruption and administrative paralysis is there for all to see. We are yet without the promised Lokayukta and the much needed Information Commissioners are also not in place. For reasons very suspect most of the government websites are either not updated or dysfunctional. The deteriorating law and order situation speaks for itself. On all the U turns made by Manohar Parrikar less said the better. The BJP in its election manifesto had promised that an annual performance report of each government department would be made public but sadly the Chief Minister has not been able to even audit his own Ministers. Is he finding it difficult to adjudge who is the most corrupt and inefficient amongst them? Having failed to sweep away the rampant corruption, the Chief Minister cannot now arm-twist us by his cheap gimmick of taking the broom to sweep the streets. Earlier this year he had promised that in September there would be a review on the performance of his Ministers. We are already in October and the Chief Minister will now be very busy mopping and pocketing huge moolah from the two big upcoming events, IFFI and the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier. When it comes to amassing wealth from kickbacks the political demons don’t even spare the Saints. Do they? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MANOHAR PARRIKAR AND CASINOS
While as the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar had consistently and vehemently opposed the Casinos while branding them as a ‘social evil’ and had vowed to throw them out of the River Mandovi if he came to power. Manohar Parrikar had called Casinos as dens of vice, and had even led an agitation to demand their closure. But since coming to power on March 9th 2012 Manohar Parrikar is firmly aboard in love with the Casino brigade. We all know why the Casinos are today enjoying Chief Minister’s total patronage and unstinted support. The awful side effects and the irreversible after effects of Casinos are there for all to see. They are known to provide other services besides gambling to its rich and mighty customers. The government should have taken remedial measures to arrest the alarming crime levels and the degradation in social standards that Goa is sadly witnessing today. One would have expected the Chief Minister to be at least sensible especially since his close family member has fallen victim after frequenting the Casinos. But Manohar Parrikar has got his priorities wrong. For this U Turn made on the Casino issue the people of Goa may never forgive the Chief Minister. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MANOHAR PARRIKAR PROMOTING HIS FAMILY
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar swiftly on 4th March last year appointed his relative Kurupati Dwarkanath Row to the very high constitutional post as the Chairman of Goa Public Service Commission. Now the Goa Public Service Commission has selected Manohar Parrikar’s relative Mahesh Parrikar to the plumb Group B gazetted officer post as Civil cum Sub Registrar. There is no problem with relatives of Ministers aspiring for government jobs but it has to be strictly on merit. Was there nobody with better credentials than Kurupati Dwarkanath Row to occupy the very vital post as Chairman of the Goa Public Service Commission? Is Mahesh Parrikar the most outstanding candidate amongst the hundreds who applied for the post of Civil cum Sub Registrar? Manohar Parrikar had assured good governance but it is ‘Acche din’ only for his coterie of family and friends. Leaders who live out on nepotism have no chance to build a culture of trust. For the sake of Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar needs to look beyond his Parivar. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] INDIAN JUDICIARY IN CRISIS?
Justice R.M. Lodha who recently retired as the Chief Justice of India must be lauded for his firm decision not to seek or accept any post retirement posting from the Government. He has rightly expressed a very unyielding view that there must be at least a two year cooling period before any retired Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court takes up any constitutional post. On the flip side the other former Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam who had retired on 26th April this year, was swiftly groomed by the Narendra Modi led NDA and on September 5th sworn in as the Governor of Kerala. Does it not send a wrong message to other Judges due to retire that if they remain in good books with the government, a plumb post retirement lollipop is assured. Dark days ahead for the Indian Judiciary? Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] HAS THE RULE OF LAW GONE FOR A TOSS?
After Manohar Parrikar coming to power, Adv. Saresh Lotlikar through his RSS affiliation and proximity with the Chief Minister has managed to get himself appointed as Special Public Prosecutor in a long string of cases. What is however very objectionable and deplorable is that while he represents the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Goa Police in many cases Saresh Lotlikar has now started also appearing in cases against the ACB. Even those in the world’s oldest profession do it better. It is time for the Courts to take a stringent view of such gross professional misconduct by Saresh Lotlikar who is now also notoriously known for arranging ‘fishy’ spirited banquets for Judges. It is high time he be hauled up and stripped of his Senior Advocate status. Saresh Lotlikar seems to be following in the steps of his comrade Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni for whom high-handedly appearing for and against the government has become a matter of routine. It was never envisaged that thugs and fixers would find a comfort zone in the legal profession. God save our justice delivery system which is sadly getting corroded by the day with worshippers of wealth masquerading as Messiahs clad in black robes. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] RELIVING LIFE FROM THE JAWS OF DEATH
Today would have been my 6th death anniversary. On 13th October 2008 while I was relishing the famed Chicken Xacuti at the Ashok Restaurant in Panaji a gruesome attempt was made by an armed gang of seven who had come fully ready to dispatch me to heaven or maybe to hell. It was, however, a very incredible miraculous escape from the jaws of death. My time may have not have been up. Fighting injustice is no easy task. One faces a backlash of crank calls, vicious anonymous letters and more seriously the risk of an attempt on one’s life. Over the last 40 years of fighting against injustice, nobody has been able to intimidate me. I have never been cowed down by any threats of consequences that I have had to face for speaking out fearlessly. Over the years I have never hesitated to take on the powerful and mighty over a wide range of issues. Be it the Governor of Goa on the Right to Information Act or the High Court Judges attending private dinners with Advocates, I have never shied away from pursuing a whole range of issues involving senior politicians to well-connected bureaucrats. Even that October 13th 2008 brutal attempt on my life has not cowed me down. I have had nothing personal against anyone about whom I have raised issues over the years. When highlighting an issue, it is bound to hurt some individuals. Have I hurt one too many? One has to have the spine to speak out against things that are wrong. I will continue to highlight any injustice that I see. Nothing shall deter me and my commitment in this regard. The risk of having one’s fingers chopped is a small price one may have to pay in the bigger battle against corruption and injustice. I am content that over the years I have been able to help a lot of people without being a Panch, Sarpanch, MLA or MP. One does not have to hold any position to serve those seeking justice. In recent years the Right to Information Act has been a big aid and a very handy tool in fighting for what is right and exposing the rampant corruption. Looking back over the last four decades, I do not regret having taken up any issue I did. At times one pays a heavy price in fighting public causes but one needs to maintain the spirit and keep on fighting. Life is a very short voyage, a journey, the end of which we know not. So let’s keep up the big fight. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] VIVA GOA
While the much eagerly awaited verdict of the current political slugfest in Maharastra and Haryana will be out only on October 19th, today is a very exciting day for Goa’s football while our very buoyant FC Goa at 7 pm on Fatorda grounds take on rivals Chennai in a head start of the 11 week tournament. Goans owe it to our very charismatic Shrinivas Dempo, Dattaraj Salgaoncar, Venugopal Doot and Virat Kohli for putting their hands and wallets together in assembling the brilliant Goa team managed and ably geared by the Brazilian legend Zico. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] AN ASSAULT ON THE JUDICIARY
In a very brazen attack on the independence of the Judiciary, the Goa Government in a sudden and swift move has divested Judge PV Sawaikar of the Goa CBI Court from hearing matters under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Judge Sawaikar who had heard the disproportionate assets case against Goa Speaker Rajendra Arlekar was scheduled to pronounce his order on 17th October. All corruption cases will now be heard by the North Goa Principal District Judge B.P. Deshpande. This runs contrary to the mandate of the Supreme Court that corruption cases should be fast tracked. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA'S JUDICIARY CANNOT BE UNDER SEIGE
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had both vowed of Zero tolerance to Corruption and good governance with transparency and accountability. However their acts and deeds speak very much to the contrary. The awfully dark days are looming for the very Independence and Autonomy of the Judiciary. Very suspect is the latest very high-handed move by the Goa government to virtually lay to rest the Goa CBI Court which was set up on 7th October last year as per the directive of the Supreme Court to expedite cases of corruption. Just two months ago all corruption cases were transferred to the CBI Court keeping in mind the spirit of the directions of the Supreme Court to fast track them. It is surprising if not apparent the reason for this sudden now abrupt withdrawal of the corruption cases from the CBI Court. Now with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar having managed to swiftly wind up the CBI Court, all the corruption cases probed by the CBI and the Anti Corruption branch have now been transferred to an already very over burdened North Goa Principal District Judge who is having a pendency of over 1670 other cases and besides for the next over six months will be tied up with the Tarun Tejpal trial. Interestingly though the government notification divesting the CBI Court of its powers under the Prevention of Corruption Act is dated 7th October it was issued only yesterday. The Goa CBI Court which was presided over by Judge PV.Sawaikar had a pendency of around 120 corruption cases. Judge Sawaikar was scheduled to deliver his verdict on October 17th in the disproportionate assets case against Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar. Judge Sawaikar had recently also censured the Anti-Corruption Branch for having sought orders from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in a complaint that was filed against him. Taking note that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar should not have been allowed to go into the records of the investigation, Judge Sawaikar had in his order stated the SP of ACB, ought not to have followed such a procedure as it amounts to take opinion of an accused. Coincidentally Judge Sawaikar has been kept long waiting for his official car and government accommodation. After having spent lakhs of rupees on setting up this CBI Court at Mapusa the sudden questionable decision of the government will practically slow track the corruption cases much to the delight of the corrupt. Goa is without a State Information Commissioner and the Lokayukta is also nowhere in sight. So will this move by the Government to wind up the CBI Court be just another bonus to the perpetrators of corruption? *Ache Din Aane Wale* Hain for the corrupt! May I request you all to raise your voices loud and fearlessly on this day light assault on Goa’s Judiciary. Let us request Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to make the one much needed U turn and restore the powers of the CBI Court if he really stands for Zero Tolerance to Corruption. Over to you, Mr. Chief Minister. Goa is watching. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] TIME TO SPEAK THE TRUTH, MR CHIEF MINISTER
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who is now well accustomed not to speak the truth has made a very false claim that he had no hand in divesting Goa CBI Court Judge PV Sawaikar of his powers to hear corruption cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act. It is an open challenge to the Chief Minister to place in public domain the entire correspondence leading to the issuance of that controversial notification dated 7th October divesting Judge Sawaikar of his powers. The very vindictive Manohar Parrikar in association with his like minded Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni are adopting high-handed tactics in attempting to intimidate and brow beat judges into submission. This cannot be allowed. The process to strip Judge Sawaikar of his powers to hear corruption cases was initiated on Sunday August 30th at the swearing in ceremony of Goa Governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan when Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar complained to the Bombay High Court Chief Justice Mohit Shah about Judge Sawaikar and sought his removal from hearing corruption related cases. In the last session of the Goa Legislative Assembly the Chief Minister had taken pot-shots at Judge Sawaikar. If the government is aggrieved by an order of a Judge it should exercise its right to legally challenge it, rather than resorting to such appalling uncalled for interference in the functioning of the Judiciary. The tendency of politicians to settle scores with Judges is deplorable. Judge Sawaikar has been kept languishing for over a year without an official car and residential accommodation This sordid state of affairs where even Judges are at the mercy of the politicians for their rightful amenities is a matter of concern. Questionable is the motive of not appointing another Judge to the Goa CBI Court if the Government wanted Judge Sawaikar out. By transferring the corruption cases to an already much over burdened Principal North Goa District Judge all the corruption cases will now move at a snail’s pace to the advantage of the corrupt. This move by the government is contrary to the directives of the Supreme Court to set up the Special CBI Courts to fast track corruption cases. All these mind boggling and very disturbing facts will be brought to the notice of the Supreme Court while seeking the independent functioning of the Judiciary free from political misadventures. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] CAG SEEKS PROPER AND COMPLETE REPLY FROM GOA GOVERNMENT ON EXORBITANT FEES BEING PAID TO ADVOCATE GENERAL
The Goa office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has sought from the Goa Government a complete and proper reply to the queries raised on the exorbitant fees being paid to Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. CAG in a letter to the Goa Government on 23rd January this year had sought an explanation and justification on the very high fees being paid to Goa AG. With no reply received the Deputy Accountant General on 22nd April once again wrote to the Law Secretary calling for the information urgently which was followed by another reminder on 19th August. After a delay of eight months the Under Secretary Law on 24th September replied to CAG only giving copies of the appearance certificates of the Advocate General while giving no explanation and justification to the query raised by CAG on the very exorbitant fees being paid to the Advocate General of Goa as compared to other states. Ironically the Law department in reply to CAG’s letter sent in January has justified the delay in replying as on account of the Assembly Session from July to August. CAG now in its reply to the Goa Government this week while pointing out that the queries raised remain unanswered has sought an urgent response. Acting on a complaint filed on 16th May last year on the very exorbitant fees being paid to the AG of Goa, the office of CAG made a comparative study with the states of Haryana, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya and found that the fees being paid to the Goa AG were very high. CAG in its comparative chart drew the Government’s attention that while the Goa AG for an appearance before the High Court is paid Rs 10,000 per case, that the AG of Haryana is paid Rs 1000 while the AGs of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya are paid Rs 5000, Rs 3000 and Rs 2500 respectively. The CAG further informed the Goa Government that while the Goa AG is paid Rs 75,000 for appearance before the Supreme Court the Haryana AG gets paid Rs 2000 while the AGs of Manipur and Meghalaya get paid Rs 10,000 with the Arunachal Pradesh AG paid Rs 3500. Goa despite being the smallest state was not only hosting India's highest paid AG but the country's highest paid public servant. The President of India is paid Rs 1,50,000 a month, the Chief Justice of India Rs 1,00,000 and a High Court Judge Rs 80,000 but the AG of Goa Atmaram Nadkarni is being paid up to a whopping eight lakhs a month besides Rs 75,000 on every visit to Delhi which was nothing short of a day light loot and plunder of the State’s exchequer. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on 23rd May 2012 had directed that the fees of AG Atmaram Nadkarni be hiked due to the very high inflation being faced by the AG. The government by an order issued on 8th April last year hiked the fees of the AG from a monthly maximum of five lakhs to eight lakhs. The AG’s per appearance fee before the High Court was hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 per case per day. In addition the AG is now paid Rs 75,000 per day on every visit to Delhi regardless of whether he appears before the Supreme Court or not. The hike in fees was made retrospective with effect from 1st April 2012. The AG also gets 15 personal staff as entitled to a Cabinet Minister. Information furnished by the Directorate of Accounts under the RTI Act revealed that Goa Government paid AG Atmaram Nadkarni by way of fees and other allowances a whopping Rs 2,055,9032 (two crores fifty five lakhs nine thousand and thirty two rupees) for the two years from March 2012 to March 2014. As per the information the Government also spent a further Rs 10,14,869 (ten lakhs fourteen thousand eight hundred and sixty nine rupees) on the business class airfare for the 17 trips made to Delhi by AG from January 2013 to March 2014. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] FOR CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR CASINOS ARE NOW PRIDE OF GOA
On 21st August which was the last day of the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had assured that all the Casino advertisements displayed on the police barricades would be removed immediately. It is two long months and those Casinos advertisements have only increased. While as the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar had consistently and vehemently opposed the Casinos while branding them as a ‘social evil’ and had vowed to throw them out of the River Mandovi if he came to power. Manohar Parrikar had called Casinos as dens of vice, and had even led an agitation to demand their closure. But ever since coming to power on March 9th 2012 Manohar Parrikar is firmly aboard in love and flirting with the Casino brigade. We all know why the Casinos are today enjoying Chief Minister’s total patronage and unstinted support. He is now going out of the way to promote the Casino culture in Goa. A hell of a U Turn by Manohar Parrikar. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] INDIA IS SET TO HAVE A MODI-FIED JUDICIARY
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai must be lauded for yesterday being the only MLA having the spine to speak out against Narendra Modi government’s devious National Judicial Appointments Commission Bill which will craftily encroach on and undermine the much needed independence of the judiciary. The current Collegium mode could have been the safest and surest way to preserve the Independence of the Judiciary had it not been reduced to a cabal. The collegium has ended up being a very secret club with the proceedings not being a public record. This veil of secrecy is untenable and cannot go on. The colleguim system should have instead been given a constitutional status with all its deliberations being very transparent and within the purview of the Right to Information Act. There needs to be a reform in the process of judicial appointments by making the judiciary accountable to the public at large while also ensuring it is totally free from political interference. Only then will the Judiciary act as a successful defensive wall against the growing excesses and abuse of power by the executive. But with the government now set to have a say in the selection of judges the awfully dark days are looming for the very Independence and Autonomy of the Judiciary. Modi-fied Judges will soon preside over our Temples of Justice. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SAME OLD POLITICAL ROT
The BJP tries to project itself as the party with a difference but it is abundantly clear that it is no different to the rest of the rot. After having just a few days ago branded the NCP as the “Naturally Corrupt Party” it has now kept the option open of forming the government in Maharashtra with the support of the very same NCP. Politics today is no longer a mission, not even an honest profession. It has been abridged to a scoundrel’s last resort. It has become a ruthless business, with morals and ethics twisted, thrown to the winds, and long buried deep in the slush of ignorance and thuggery. Even those in the world’s oldest profession do it better. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ALL THE BEST GOA
In the Indian Super League match today FC Goa coached by the Brazilian legend Zico takes on the formidable Atlético de Kolkata. With a debacle in the first game and a draw at the second, FC Goa must today somehow notch its first win. Goa needs all our cheers and may lady luck kick in the much needed win at Fatorda grounds this evening. As everything in life football too requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice and, dedication with the underlying principle to always pursue being: Hit the line hard. *Força* Goa. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MAPUSA JMFC MONITORING PROBE AGAINST TOURISM MINISTER SHUNTED TO PONDA
Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Apurva Nagvenkar who has been monitoring the investigation into the cheating case registered against Goa’s Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in connection with the Serula Communidade land grab case has been shunted to Ponda. Judge Apurva Nagvenkar was posted as Mapusa JMFC just five months ago on June 2nd.With no other Judge posted in her place the ‘E’ Court at Mapusa will now temporarily remain closed. As the police were acting as caged parrots and dragging their feet, the Mapusa JMFC Apurva Nagvenkar on 14th August decided to monitor the investigation and directed the Crime Branch to file a report every 15 days on the status of the investigation into the F.I.R of cheating that was registered on January 17th this year against Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in the 599 sq mt Serula Communidade land grab case. Later on October 7th JMFC Apurva Nagvenkar while expressing displeasure in the slow pace of the investigation further directed the Crime Branch to complete the investigation against Dilip Parulekar within a month. Earlier this month Judge PV Sawaikar of the Goa CBI Court was stripped of his powers to hear cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act on the eve of his scheduled pronouncement of the order in the disproportionate assets case against Goa Speaker Rajendra Arlekar. Judge Sawaikar had last month also censured the Anti-Corruption Branch for having sought orders from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in a complaint that was filed against him. Taking note that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar should not have been allowed to go into the records of the investigation, Judge Sawaikar had in his order stated that the SP of ACB, ought not to have followed such a procedure as it amounts to taking opinion of an accused. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and his dubious Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni have been blackmailing and arm twisting Judges into submission. The Chief Minister and the Advocate General should have no say in the selection, promotion and posting of Judges. The day is not far when Manohar Parrikar and Atmaram Nadkarni will be dictating judgments with the Judges only pronouncing them. There could not have been a bigger assault on the independence and sanctity of the Judiciary Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] COURT DIRECTS FORMER DoP SHOBHA DHUMASKAR TO BE IN COURT ON NOV 7TH IN CORRUPTION CASE
Special Judge under the Prevention of Corruption Act B.P.Deshpande today directed Goa’s former Director of Prosecution Shobha Dhumaskar to remain present in Court on November 7th at 2.30 pm. Shobha Dhumaskar who is facing corruption charges under Section 13 (2) read with Sections 13 (1) (d) (i) (ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 had failed to remain present in Court despite having been summoned as an accused two months ago. Today her lawyer submitted a medical certificate issued by Mapusa based orthopedic surgeon Dr Harish Tople that Shobha Dhumaskar has been advised three weeks complete bed rest but when Judge Deshpande stated that the doctor would be summoned to ascertain the veracity of the medical certificate the lawyer for Shobha Dhumaskar quickly agreed to keep her present in Court on November 7th. Earlier the Court’s attention was drawn that Shobha Dhumaskar had been evading to attend Court on fabricated medical certificates while she was seen all over except in Court. The accused Shobha Dhumaskar more so having been the Director of Prosecution should have respectfully submitted to the Court’s jurisdiction instead of making a mockery of the Justice delivery system. On 6th September the CBI Court while rejecting the plea by the Anti– Corruption branch (ACB) to close the corruption case against Shobha Dhumaskar directed her to face trial as there was sufficient material to prima facie establish commission of an offences by the former Director of Prosecution punishable under section 13(2) read with Sections 13(1) (d) (i) and (ii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Meanwhile the Special Judge under the Prevention of Corruption B.P Deshpande today adjourned to November 7th hearing of the final arguments on the petition filed against Rajendra Arlekar Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly in the disproportionate assets case. After hearing final arguments in the case against Rajendra Arlekar the Judge PV Sawaikar of the CBI Court had fixed the case for judgment on October 17th but just a day earlier on 16th October he was divested of his powers to hear matters under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] SOME JUSTICE FOR THE COURT BAILIFFS
Finally as a Human Rights effect the travelling allowance of Court bailiffs in Goa is being hiked. The Principal District and Sessions Court has moved an urgent proposal to the Goa Government to enhance the monthly travelling allowance of Court bailiffs in Goa from the current Rs 200 to Rs 1000. The three member Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) headed by Justice P.K.Misra and comprising of retired District Judge A.D. Salkar and Mr. J.A.Keny had issued notice to the Chief Secretary of Goa and the Chief Administrative Officers of both the District Courts seeking their reply on the meager travelling allowance being paid to the Court bailiffs. The Commission on being informed that the travelling allowance is now being enhanced has adjourned the hearing to January 9th. Justice was sought for the bailiffs working in the various courts across Goa who are currently being paid only a very paltry travelling allowance of a mere Rs 200 a month though they have to travel extensively to serve notices issued by all Courts including the High Court. As Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had cited high inflation as the reason to hike Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni’s fees from five lakhs to eight lakhs a month, the government could not adopt double standards on the financial plight faced by the bailiffs whose travelling allowance should be hiked to a justifiable of Rs 3000 a month. Since 2001 the bailiffs are being paid monthly only Rs 200 as travelling allowance. Non-payment of a just amount is a Human right violation as the bailiffs have a right against being exploited and deprived of due compensation. The intervention of the Goa Human Rights Commission was sought to alleviate this great injustice to the bailiffs who have an important responsibility of serving court notices. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] JUDGES SHOULD LIFT THE VEIL OF SECRECY
In a move towards transparency and accountability the Judges of the Supreme Court of India in 2009 began making their assets and liabilities public on the court’s website. However of *the current 28 Supreme Court Judges seven of them have not yet made their assets public which include RK Agrawal, Arun Mishra, Adarsh Kumar Goel, RF Nariman, Abhay Manohar Sapre, R Banumathi, and Uday Umesh Lalit. * On 2nd September 2009 the judges of the Bombay High Court had decided through a unanimous resolution of the full court to make their assets public. But despite over five long years having elapsed the veil of secrecy over the assets and liabilities of Judges continues with the High Court defaulting in complying with its own resolution. As is required to be done by all public servants, the assets and liabilities of all Judges should be displayed annually for public scrutiny. It would then facilitate to identify and cleanse the Temples of Justice from the rotten apples if any. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA CM HAS BREACHED THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has clearly acted in rank violation of the Criminal Procedure Code in the appointment of Special Public Prosecutors. The Goa Government by an order has appointed Saresh Lotlikar, Ashwin Bhobe and Devidas Pangam as Special Public Prosecutors in the High Court and Francis Tavora, Prasad Kirtani and SB Faria in the Trial Courts. Section 25A of the Criminal Procedure Code mandates that all Public Prosecutors and Special Public Prosecutors in all courts including the High Court shall be subordinate to the Director of Prosecution. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar could not have directed that the allotment of cases to these Special Public Prosecutors be done by Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. The Advocate General being a political appointee is bound to influence decisions on defending matters, if allowed to intermeddle with the work-allocation amongst the PPs, Addl. PPs and Special PPs. One wonders why India’s highest paid Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni did not place the correct legal position to the otherwise ‘legally raw’ Chief Minister. Infact Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had specifically assured in the last monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly that allotment of cases to all Public Prosecutors including those in the High Court would henceforth be done by the Director of Prosecution in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code. Why was there need of three more Special Public Prosecutors in the High Court in addition to the existing four who themselves do not have enough work. This also runs contrary to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s vow last year to slash to half all litigation involving the government. The unnecessary appointment of three Special Public Prosecutors in the trial courts would cast a shadow of doubt on the competence and integrity while demoralizing the regular Public Prosecutors and Assistant Public Prosecutors. The possible motive behind the appointment of these Special Public Prosecutors without consulting the Director of Prosecution may be to ensure that the cases are manipulated under the directions and supervision of Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni. Why have the terms and conditions including the fees of these six newly appointed Special Public Prosecutors not been fixed in advance. In keeping with professional ethics these six Special Public Prosecutors should now not be appearing in any matter against the government. Even those in the world's oldest profession do it better. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ADVOCATE GENERAL ATMARAM NADKARNI’S GREED KNOWS NO BOUNDS
Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the *Father of the Indian Constitution* must never have visualized that thick skinned persons with never ending greed for moolah would ever be occupying the very high Constitutional post of Advocate General. That is possibly why a ban on private practice by the Advocate General was not officially prescribed in the Constitution of India. But while participating at the meeting of the Constituent assembly of India on 1st June 1949 Mr. Naziruddin Ahmad had infact said ‘I do not want the Advocate General to indulge in private practice’. Despite the Goa Government paying the current Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni over a crore of rupees a year, yet he has been shamelessly flirting around minting abundantly by being the legal messiah for the Mining, Casino and Builders lobby. This despite the Goa Government by a written order issued in 2006 directed that the Advocate General should refrain from accepting any cases from private parties where the Government was even just a formal party. This fiat is being flouted with impunity by Atmaram Nadkarni. If the government were to only install CCTV cameras at the plush three storied office of Atmaram Nadkarni on Panaji’s 18th June Road much of the ongoing mind boggling and scandalizing illegal activity would come to light. Ironically even an Advocate visiting Atmaram Nadkarni’s office has to deposit his mobile phone at the reception. Something I have never had to do over the years even when call on the Governor of Goa. What is Atmaram Nadkarni who preaches so much on spirituality fearful of? I cannot ask God to guide him, for he knows what he is doing! I can only remind Atmaram Nadkarni of the words of Joel Osteen “You can live your life angry, bitter, mad at somebody or even guilty, not letting go of your own mistakes, but you won't receive the good things God has in store”. And will Atmaram Nadkarni ever be inspired by what the great American writer Alfred Armand Montapert had to say “The main source of our wealth is goodness. The affections and the generous qualities that God admires in a world full of greed” Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ONLY MANOHAR PARRIKAR’S EXIT MAY SAVE GOA
The lightning speed and zeal in which Manohar Parrikar is rushing through the renewal of the mining leases is no surprise. If only the Chief Minister had shown such enthusiasm in constituting the long non-operational State Information Commission and in appointing a sturdy Lokayukta to ensure Zero tolerance to corruption it would have been laudable. He could have also demonstrated this velocity in recuperating those Rs 35,000 crores of that illegal mining loot he had vowed. But we all know that it is a done deal and not a paisa will be recovered. The mining Lords and in particular Sesa Goa one of the biggest violator as per the Shah Commission report have now nothing to fear as long as their Master and Messiah Atmaram Nadkarni is steering this government. They can continue to further loot and now with added vigor. Manohar Parrikar has got his priorities wrong. A majority of Goans from all walks of life are silently cursing him while his minority clan has been having a field’s day. The rampant corruption and administrative chaos is there for all to see. With all his U turns the damage Manohar Parrikar is inflicting on Goa may be irreparable and irreversible. With his blessings Goa has today become India’s gambling, prostitution and drug epicenter. The only hope for Goa is the news that Manohar Parrikar may be air lifted to Delhi. It would be the best New Year’s gift for 2015 that Goans could hope. But his successor will have a hell of a job clearing the garbage that Manohar Parrikar has generated over the last two and a half years. But Goa shall overcome. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA'S CM ASPIRANT HAS A BIGGER HURDLE TO CROSS
Judge BP Deshpande of the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act will on 7th November at 2.30 p.m. hear final arguments in the disproportionate assets case against Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Rajendra Arlekar who is now tipped to be the next Chief Minister of Goa. Sorrowing lies our land. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA IN JUBILIATION OVER MANOHAR PARRIKAR'S EXIT
Francis D’Souza being the Deputy Chief Minister should have been the natural, unanimous and obvious choice to be Goa’s next Chief Minister. But with the RSS calling the shots if it does not happen it would only confirm the BJP’s communal credentials. It is very appalling that after all that talk of Zero Tolerance to Corruption the BJP even dared consider the name of Rajendra Arlekar who is facing corruption charges. The court has adjourned to 12th November arguments in the disproportionate assets case against him. While Goa rejoices and is relieved with the exit of Manohar Parrikar and his sidekick Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni, the focus now has to be to bring Goa back on track after all the mess and controversies created by Manohar Parrikar. But in Manohar Parrikar’s departure what is Goa’s gain may sadly be India’s liability. We shall soon know. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ACHHE DIN FOR GOA SANS MANOHAR PARRIKAR
As was expected the new Chief Minister of Goa is also from the RSS. It is no surprise that the BJP has humiliated Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza which should act as an eye opener to the other altar boys. Francis D’Souza has however taken this in the right stride because politics today has unfortunately been reduced to a shabby game of compromises. The right decision however was to lay aside Rajendra Arlekar in view of the corruption charges pending against him in the disproportionate assets case. The BJP could have also seized the opportunity to axe the known corrupt Ministers in the cabinet who were however sadly sworn in again proving that the real mantra is infact Zero action against Corruption. Running the State is the prerogative of the Chief Minister and the cabinet. Manohar Parrikar should now not even attempt to be interfering in the functioning of the Goa Government. His statement that he would be visiting Goa twice a week is ridiculous. Goa has suffered enough under his two and a half year utter misrule and he should not further burden the exchequer by being a frequent flyer and attempt to high-handedly impose his writ on Goa. Instead of trying to further ruin Goa by remote control, Manohar Parrikar should be doing justice to his new assignment as Defence Minister of India in keeping a watchful eye on the Pakistan and China borders. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had promised Goans that he would remove those Casinos from the River Mandovi before he demits office in 2017. Now that Parrikar has swiftly fled are Goans stuck with that eyesore polluting our river? By all his U turns Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister over the last two and a half years has transformed Goa into a gambling, prostitution and narcotics hub. His expertise in corruption would be his vital asset in the ensuing high stake Defence deals in store. In his new avatar what role he carves out for his inseparable comrade- in- arms the flamboyant Atmaram Nadkarni we shall soon know. Atmaram Nadkarni is already in Delhi to attend Manohar Parrikar’s swearing in ceremony. The sycophants around Manohar Parrikar should realize that Politics and Good governance is not about individuals but of having the right functional systems in place. With Manohar Parrikar having vanquished from Goa it could only be Achhe Din for this State which has suffered immensely under an eccentric and erratic Chief Minister with egos ever so puffed. Nelson Mandela had said “A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination”. Manohar Parrikar clearly lacked them both. Goa was taken for a jolly good ride by this dictatorial, autocratic and ruthless double faced so called IITian. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA NOW BESTOWED WITH A PUPPET CHIEF MINISTER
Goa has a new Chief Minister but no governance. In an awfully bad start the new Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has bald-facedly proclaimed that the portfolios of his Ministers will be allotted only later this week in consultation with Manohar Parrikar. As allotment of portfolios should be the sole prerogative of the Chief Minister it is now a very clear indication that Laxmikant Parsekar will be swinging as a puppet on the string in being a dummy Chief Minister. This is Political bankruptcy to the hilt. Acute signs and symptoms that by being a lame duck Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar will only add to the mountain of that mess that Manohar Parrikar has left behind. Ironically Manohar Parrikar who over the last two and a half years kept Goans entertained with his empty talk of Special Status for Goa will today file his nomination to be elected as a Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. On the other hand the North Goa MP Shripad Naik who has over the years been craftily sidelined and pushed to the corner by his bête noire Manohar Parrikar has now been further isolated in being divested of his current prized portfolio of Tourism Culture and sedated by being relegated as Minister for Department of Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). A well orchestrated devious political surgery by Manohar Parrikar. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] TOGETHER FOR PANAJI
With Manohar Parrikar exiting Goa half-way abandoning the solemn promises he had made to the people of Panaji may I most humbly seek your support and blessings to make Goa’s capital city a model one free from Casinos, Drugs and Prostitution. The garbage crisis is also alarming and needs to be resolved rapidly. To ensure transparency and accountability in the administration the constituting of the State Information Commission is vital. The setting up a very sturdy Lokayukta should also be a priority to check the rampant corruption in the State. All legislation should be enacted with a head and a heart while never losing sight of the pulse and aspirations of the people. There should never have been attempt to transform Panaji into Las Vegas or Bangkok. Panaji needs to be what Panaji has been. Together for Panaji. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ATMARAM NADKARNI AND HIS FLEET
Last month Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and his close buddy Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni hurriedly processed the renewal of those controversial 17 mining leases. As part of the huge mindboggling windfall Atmaram Nadkarni has added yet another Mercedes to his fleet. This black colored Mercedes Benz S 350 CDI was registered with No GA 07 Q 1121 at the Panaji Road Transport Office on 14th of October. Atmaram Nadkarni bought the vehicle from M/S Counto Motors at Porvorimon a cash payment of a whopping one crore twenty seven lakhs. With moolah just flowing in from so many fountains the messiah of the mining lords Atmaram Nadkarni is one of the few who has never had to take a loan in every Mercedes he has bought. Now that he has resigned as Advocate General he is hoping with Manohar Parrikars’s blessings to be anointed as the Additional Solicitor General of India. But sources close to him say that Atmaram Nadkarni is equally keen to continue as Advocate General of Goa now being infatuated with that red beacon he enjoyed as the Advocate General. He may make that U Turn though he had last week vowed that he would not work as Advocate General under any other Chief Minister. Goa’s flamboyant Advocate General is known not be a man of principles and someone who would dip even into the gutter if the stakes are high. Infact the Special Investigating team probing the Goa mining loot should have focused their probe as to how Manohar Parrikar and Atmaram Nadkarni have acquired so much wealth and assets over the last two and a half years in particular. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] FILES GO MISSING AND AG MAKES A U TURN
Sources at the Secretariat reveal that certain very sensitive files that were sent to Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni’s office have gone missing and are now being re-constructed. What a parting gift from an AG who was last spotted in Lucknow while Manohar Parikar was filing his nomination papers to the Rajya Sabha. After Manohar Parrikar’s exit to Delhi, Atmaram Nadkarni who resigned last week as Advocate General of Goa and had publicly vowed not to work under any other Chief Minister is now reportedly like his mentor Manohar Parrikar making a U Turn and is trying to desperately continue as Advocate General of Goa. Atmaram Nadkarni has been tagging Manohar Parrikar alike a page boy all over with having together even visited the red light area of Pattaya in Bangkok and the more recent week long sudden mysterious trip to Europe. Now for Atmaram Nadkarni without Manohar Parrikar it may be a very lonesome path ahead. Meanwhile, one of Manohar’s Parrikar’s extremely experienced CA (collection agent) is set to be the BJP’s unanimous choice as the candidate for the ensuing bye election from Panaji. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] TAX PAYERS MONEY DOWN THE TUBE
The Goa Government has today released half page mega colored advertisements in all the newspapers congratulating Manohar Parrikar on his becoming Defence Minister of India. An already bankrupt and cash strapped State has high-handedly poured a further 15 lakhs of tax payer’s money down the drain. What a criminal waste of public funds. A very skewed and wrong decision by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on his very first day in office. The Supreme Court has time and again come down heavily on wastage of public funds in the release of unnecessary and fruitless advertisements by the government. While reiterating that government advertisements should serve “public purpose” as opposed to partisan ends and political mileage, the Supreme Court on April 23rd this year set up a three member committee to formulate substantive guidelines on issuanance of advertisements after an intricate study of all the best practices in public advertisements in different jurisdictions. The committee comprising of Prof. (Dr.) N.R. Madhava Menon, former Director of National Judicial Academy, Mr. T.K. Viswanathan, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha and Senior Advocate Mr. Ranjit Kumar have been directed submit its report within three months. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA FREED FROM MANOHAR PARRIKAR BUT TRAPPED WITH ATMARAM NADKARNI
It is now confirmed that the very controversial and notorious Atmaram Nadkarni will continue as the Advocate General of Goa. Atmaram Nadkarni who accompanied his mentor Manohar Parrikar to Delhi had desperately lobbied very hard to be appointed as Additional Solicitor General of India. Atmaram Nadkarni was hoping that it would be a stepping stone towards his ultimate dream of becoming a Judge of the Supreme Court. But Atmaram Nadkarni’s frantic plea was firmly vetoed and outright rejected by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in view of the very dubious and highly contentious track record of Atmaram Nadkarni. Narendra Modi may have sensed that having both Manohar Parrikar and Atmaram Nadkarni in Delhi could be lethal. So the forever very ambitious Atmaram Nadkarni had no option but to shamelessly retreat and be content by continuing as Advocate General, a post he had last week vowed not to continue with. So Goa which has now been graciously liberated from Manohar Parrikar will for now have to put up with Atmaram. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] DEFENCE MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR ACCUSED OF FILING FALSE AFFIDAVIT: TO FACE DISQUALIFICATION PETITION
The newly sworn in Defence Minister of India Manohar Parrikar is accused of having filed a false Affidavit on 10th of November with his nomination papers for the elections to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. It is an irony that the First law officer of Goa Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni was also along with former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at Lucknow when the false Affidavit was filed. In his affidavit Manohar Parrikar has falsely stated on oath that he is a resident of House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College at Panaji though he has never ever resided at that address. House No 157 which is virtually a shanty is owned by a Naik family and as per the records of the Corporation of City of Panaji is in the name of Satyabama Naik. Manohar Parrikar for the last two and a half years has been residing at his plush penthouse apartment at Dona Paula which he had acquired after becoming Chief Minister in March 2012. Questionable is the ulterior motives of Manohar Parrikar in blatantly violating the law by filing a false and misleading affidavit. Manohar Parrikar has also fudged facts and figures while declaring his assets and liabilities in the said affidavit and has concealed his known assets which he may have partly possibly transferred in the name of his kith and kin. The affidavit shows a personal loan of Rs 1.5 crore given to Manohar Parrikar by a Panaji based builder KKN Sukerkar. It needs to be probed whether it was in return for the favours shown by the former Chief Minister to the builder in his construction projects. A comparative examination of the affidavit filed by Manohar Parrikar on 13th February 2012 at the Assembly elections and the one filed on 10th of this month at Lucknow leaves a lot of glaring questionable discrepancies which Manohar Parrikar would have to explain. Filing of a false affidavit is a serious offence which cannot be condoned. It is very dismaying that the former Chief Minister of Goa who is now India’s Defence Minister has set a very bad and disturbing precedent by himself breaching the law. An election petition will be filed at Lucknow seeking the disqualification of Manohar Parrikar from the Rajya Sabha for having filed a false and misleading affidavit. The people of India will now come to know the real Manohar Parrikar and his true colours whom the BJP has tried to wrongly project as Mr. Clean and a person of impeccable integrity who has not made money in Politics. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] A DARK DAY FOR GOA
With Mickky Pacheco’s induction today as Cabinet Minister it is yet another black day in Goa’s political spectacle. Ironically this government has declared Mickky Pacheco a defaulter for owing the Economic Development Corporation a whopping seven crores. M/s Giovanni Zibranni Shipping Company Pvt Ltd promoted by Mickky Pacheco and Viola Fernandes had obtained a Rs four crore loan which has now piled up to seven crores with recovery proceedings against Mickky Pacheco having been initiated. On July 17th this year the Bombay High Court at Goa also upheld Mickky Pacheco’s conviction for having in 2006 assaulted a electricity department Junior Engineer. His six month jail sentence is currently on hold as he has knocked the doors of the Supreme Court. Mickky Pacheco is currently also being probed by various authorities for a string of alleged crimes. With this very shoddy background that Manohar Parrikar chose to back Mickky Pacheco to be a Minister only reflects the sordid state of affairs in the BJP which came to power on the promise of a clean administration. But how can we expect appointment of clean persons in the State when Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite all his loud talk of Zero tolerance to corruption has himself inducted very tainted ministers to his cabinet. In Maharashtra BJP MLA Suresh Halvankar who has been convicted in a power theft case has this week been appointed as the Chairman of the committee on reforms in the power loom and textiles sector. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA’S MINISTER FOR ARCHIVES WITH A WELL ARCHIVED CRIMINAL RECORD
The awfully tainted Mickky Pacheco is finally once again a Minister further smearing Goa’s already soiled political landscape. Now as Minister for Archives, despite all his efforts he may never be able to conceal or even fiddle with his chequered and very dubious criminal records. It is now all a well embedded part of Goa’s archaeology. For the very controversial Mickky Pacheco this stint as Minister may be very short lived with the long arm of the law catching up with him at the Supreme Court where his six month jail sentence is currently on hold. He could be the first flamboyant inmate at the Colvale central jail which is scheduled to be commissioned soon. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] LAND GRAB CASE: GOA TOURISM MINISTER DILIP PARULEKAR BOOKED ALSO UNDER PREVENTION OF CORRUPTION ACT
Mickky Pacheco is not the only tainted Minister in the Laxmikant Parsekar cabinet. The Crime Branch has informed Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) that Sections 13(1) (c) and (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 have been now added to the cheating case registered against Goa’s Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar in connection with the Serula Communidade land grab case. The investigating officer further informed the JMFC that these Sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act have been added during the course of the investigation in addition to the Sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code already invoked against Dilip Parulekar, Peter Martins the then attorney of Communidade of Serula and Irene Sequeira the then Administrator of Communidade of Bardez. The Mapusa JMFC who was monitoring the investigation of the case has now transferred the case to the Special Judge B.P.Deshpande in view of the fact the sections under the Prevention of Corruption Act have been invoked. The next hearing will be on November 25th. On a petition filed under Section 156 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Mapusa JMFC had on 16th January this year directed the Porvorim Police to register an FIR for offences under sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, against Mr. Dilip Parulekar, Peter Martins besides Irene Sequeira and to investigate the matter. The Porvorim Police accordingly registered the F.I.R on 17th January and later on 4th April transferred the investigation of the case to the Crime Branch. In the complaint the Court’s attention was drawn that the 599 sq mt of prime Communidade land on the Chogm Road at Porvorim was given away to Dilip Parulekar without any auction and without following the procedure contemplated under the Code of Communidade and that the whole intention was to fraudulently facilitate the doling out of prime Communidade land to Dilip Parulekar. The Communidade of Serula granted the 599 sq. mts to Dilip Parulekar for a mere Rs. 3,41,320/- though the value of the land was otherwise worth more than a crore. Dilip Parulekar in connivance with Peter Martins and Irene Sequeira grabbed this Communidade land at a throw away price by illegal means. The Mapusa JMFC on 14th August directed the Crime Branch to file a status report every 15 days on the investigation after the Court’s attention was drawn that the police were acting as caged parrots and were intentionally and malafiedly dragging their feet in the investigation of the case just to shield the politically well connected accused Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] COMPLAINT FILED SEEKING DELETION OF DEFENCE MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR’S NAME FROM PANAJI ELECTORAL ROLL
A complaint has today been filed with the Panaji Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) seeking the immediate deletion of the name of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from the electoral roll of Panaji Assembly Constituency. The complaint draws the attention of the ERO that the name of Manohar Parrikar had been fraudulently enrolled in the Panaji Assembly Constituency at Serial No 412 in Part No 8 showing his residential address as House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College in Panaji. This is House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College at Panaji which Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had falsely claimed and faked was his residence. That house is owned by the Naik family of which one son Uday runs a Restaurant, Hotel Uday, near Panaji Market on General Costa Alvares Road just opposite the old El dorado cinema theatre. Pointing out that Manohar Parrikar has never ever resided at that address, it has been alleged that Manohar Parrikar had fraudulently in connivance and collusion with the staff in the election office manipulated and managed to get his name illegally enrolled after making a false and misleading declaration. Seeking the deletion of Manohar Parrikar’s name from the Panaji electoral roll, it has also been demanded that legal proceedings for perjury amongst other offences be initiated against Manohar Parrikar, as making a false declaration was an offence punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act 1950. Also sought is deterrent action against the staff in the election office who in connivance and collusion with Manohar Parrikar allowed his name to be illegally enrolled in the Panaji electoral roll on a fake residential address. A copy of the complaint has been sent to the Chief Election Commissioner of India and to Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer. The complaint is being investigated by Panaji Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Mr. Naveen S.L an IAS officer who just last month has been posted in Goa as Panaji Deputy Collector. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ECI SEEKS URGENT REPORT ON COMPLAINT SEEKING DELETION OF DEFENCE MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR’S NAME FROM PANAJI ELECTORAL ROLL
The Election Commission of India has sought an urgent report from Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer on the complaint seeking the immediate deletion of the name of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from the electoral roll of Panaji Assembly Constituency. Acting on the fax received from the Election Commission of India the Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer has directed the Panaji Deputy Collector and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to submit within 24 hours a detailed report. The attention of the Chief Election Commissioner had been drawn that the name of Manohar Parrikar had been fraudulently enrolled in the Panaji Assembly Constituency at Serial No 412 in Part No 8 showing his residential address as House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College in Panaji. It has been pointed out that Manohar Parrikar has never ever resided at that address and that he had fraudulently in connivance and collusion with the staff in the election office manipulated and managed to get his name illegally enrolled after making a false and misleading declaration. While seeking the deletion of Manohar Parrikar’s name from the Panaji electoral roll also demanded is that legal proceedings for perjury amongst other offences be initiated against Manohar Parrikar as making a false declaration is an offence punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act 1950. Also sought is deterrent action against the staff in the election office who in connivance and collusion with Manohar Parrikar allowed his name to be illegally enrolled in the Panaji electoral roll on a fake residential address. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] INDIA’S SECULAR FABRIC UNDER THREAT
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently called upon the BJP to make it an all inclusive party by reaching out to all sections of the society so that it represents the country's true diversity. But the saffron party guided, geared and controlled by the RSS may never be able to truly shed its communal credentials. Today, the biggest challenge to our country is from forces claiming to represent the mainstream majority. There is an emergence of extremist voices laying down demands that threaten the very idea of a secular India. It is not just in the Lok Sabha where the Muslim representation has fallen to an all-time low but Muslim representation in the State Assemblies is on a very steady slide. In the recent Assembly elections Maharashtra is down from three Muslim ministers and 11 Muslim MLAs in the earlier Assembly now to nine legislators and no Muslim minister in the current Cabinet. The BJP, which emerged the largest single party with 122 MLAs had fielded just one Muslim candidate who bit the dust. In Haryana which also went to the polls is down from five Muslim MLAs and one minister to three MLAs and no minister. The BJP which won 47 seats to form the government had fielded only two Muslim candidates and both of whom lost. The situation in these two States is similar to that in the other seven States where the BJP is either in power or in alliance which include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Punjab. Tin these nine States, which account for over a third of India’s population there are just 22 Muslim MLAs among 1,359 legislators. Chhattisgarh and Goa have no Muslim MLAs, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat have one each. This is a significant change from how these States’ outgoing Assemblies looked. Leaving out Andhra Pradesh, whose boundaries have now changed with the creation of Telengana, there were earlier twice as many Muslim MLAs in the outgoing Assemblies of the remaining eight States as there are today. Muslim representation has dropped further at the ministerial level. Of the 151 cabinet ministers and ministers of state in the nine BJP-ruled States the only Muslim is Yunus Khan, Public Works Department Minister in Rajasthan. On the other hand, there are 52 ministers in the 13 big States not ruled by the BJP. Non-BJP-ruled States have also 300 Muslim MLAs. There has been a organized endeavor by the BJP to create hate against Muslims. Due to this even a senior Muslim politician cannot win from any seat except one with a large Muslim majority. If this sordid state of affairs continues Muslims, especially the younger generation may lose trust in the electoral system. India being a secular socialist republic it should be a democratic society where no minorities feel marginalized. India has been declared a secular state by its written constitution and it is every Indian’s duty to stand by and believe in this declaration. The battle of secularism and democracy has also to be fought at the grass root levels while we concentrate in our resolve to make India a powerful and progressive nation. Mahatma Gandhi had very rightly said I do not expect India of my dreams to develop one religion, i.e., to be wholly Hindu or wholly Christian or wholly Mussalman, but I want it to be wholly tolerant, with its religions working side by side with one another.'' Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ACCHE DIN FOR THE VERY DUBIOUS NARAYAN NAVTI
Narayan Navti who is currently Goa’s acting Chief Electoral Officer and also the Director of Panchayats is awfully tainted. The alleged BA degree he had claimed to have obtained in 1988 from Osmania University in Andhra Pradesh is allegedly fake and has gone missing from the government records. As per the government records he is only 12th Std which he passed in 1978 at the age of 19. Narayan Navti joined government service as a Talathi on 10 th March 1987. In 1993 based on that fake BA degree he was selected by the Goa Public Service Commission and posted as Joint Mamlatdar at Satari. As Narayan Navti is currently under the scanner of the Vigilance department, how does the government allow such a stained officer to hold very senior positions? But it is now “Acche din” for the beleaguered Narayan Navti because of his very close links with the RSS and the saffron brigade. The Goa government’s now known guiding principle of Zero action against the corrupt has also come to the rescue of Narayan Navti. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA CEO SEEKS FURTHER DIRECTIONS FROM ECI ON COMPLAINT AGAINST MANOHAR PARRIKAR
Goa’s Acting Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Narayan Navti has sought further directions from the Election Commission of India ( ECI) on the complaint seeking the deletion of the name of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar from the electoral roll of Panaji Assembly Constituency. As directed the CEO has forwarded to the ECI a report received from the Panaji Deputy Collector and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Mr. Naveen S.L. The ERO in his report has stated that the name of Manohar Parrikar was enrolled as resident of House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College, Panaji in 2005 with the Election card made on 6/11/2005 with 25 persons enrolled at that household including that of Manohar Parrikar with the name of Raju R. Naik as the head of the family. The ERO has also stated that the draft electoral rolls were recently published on 15th of October this year inviting objections and that no one had objected to the name of Manohar Parrikar. The Booth level officer Leena Noronha in her report has stated that Manohar Parrikar receives the Official Gazette at House No 157, Opposite Pharmacy College, Panaji where he resides and is enrolled as a voter. It has now been pointed out to the Chief Election Commissioner that a perusal of the ERO’s report reveals that it is not a factual report but very politically manipulated to try and high-handedly shield Manohar Parrikar. The ERO has attempted to shelve the complaint of the illegal inclusion of the name of Manohar Parrikar in the electoral roll on a fake address. The ERO has not cared to factually ascertain whether Manohar Parrikar infact resides at that address. The attention of the Election Commission of India has been drawn to the fact that the residential address of Manohar Parrikar on his passport, driving licence and all other government records is shown as House No. 12/182 Khorlim - Mapusa - Goa. The staff of the electoral office are duty bound to discharge their duties strictly within the parameters of law without fear or favour. But as acting Chief Electoral Officer of Goa Mr. Narayan Navti is himself currently under the scanner of the Vigilance department for his alleged fake educational degree, there is apprehension that Mr. Navti may bow down to the extraneous political pressures to save his own skin. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] GOA’S AG ATMARAM NADKARNI IS INDIA’S HIGHEST PAID PUBLIC SERVANT
Rs.75,000 for appearance before the Supreme Court the Haryana AG gets paid Rs.2000 while the AGs of Manipur and Meghalaya get paid Rs 10,000 with the Arunachal Pradesh AG paid Rs.3500. The Advocate General is a very high Constitutional authority. The Governor appoints a person who is qualified to be a High Court Judge as the AG. The Office of the AG is a very exalted one. As the First Law officer of the State he is expected to be extremely honest, sincere and competent in giving invaluable fair legal guidance to the Government in formulation of its policy and execution of its decisions. An AG should never be someone who has a lust or greed for wealth or having vested interest with any lobby but has always to ensure the State’s best interests at heart. He is bound to be fair in giving advice to the State as also in his submissions to the Court. The AG is the Leader of the Bar and is required to defend the State while always securing its interests at all times. As a role model to the legal fraternity he has to uphold impeccable integrity and the highest ethical standards. After Manohar Parrikar’s exit from Goa Atmaram Nadkarni also resigned and had vowed not to work under any other Chief Minister. But as was expectedly he made a U turn and continues to cling as AG and to that red beacon. He was reportedly eyeing to be Additional Solicitor General of India with hope of fulfilling his ultimate ambition of being a Supreme Court Judge. God forbid that day when the highest temple of Justice will be desecrated. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] MANOHAR PARRIKAR NOW SET TO PILE UP A MESS IN DELHI
After having fooled the people of Goa with his much hyped mantra of Zero tolerance to Corruption, Manohar Parrikar now in his new avatar as Defence Minister of India has had the audacity of vowing on Zero tolerance to error in defence. It will be a while before Goans recover from the stinking trail of corruption and nepotism that he has left behind in his two and a half years as Chief Minister by conveniently keeping Goa without the State Information Commission and Lokayukta. We now all know that Manohar Parrikar who projects himself as a very pious and simple soul is infact a very shrewd and smooth manipulator about whose skills on making U turns less said the better. As the dog’s tail never straightens, the people of India now need to keep an extremely close vigil on all those mega defence deals. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE BATTLE FOR PANAJI
With Manohar Parrikar’s resignation the decks clear to kick off the process to select and elect the next MLA of Panaji. Raju Sukerkar, Ashok Mogu Naik, Gaurish Dhond and Manohar Parrikar’s very own man Friday cum errand boy Sidharth Kuncalienker are reportedly in the list of BJP probables. But it is the RSS which virtually controls the BJP that will have the last say. Having known all the four for years the encounter will be lively. It could end up even livelier if Manohar Parrikar fields his other side kick Atmaram Nadkarni. An animated out of court combat it would be. Ashok Mogu Naik despite his administrative experience and very clean record as the former Mayor of Panaji has over the last few years been humiliated and side lined alike the other leading face of the Bahujan Samaj in the BJP, the North Goa MP Shripad Naik. Sources confirm that Manohar Parrikar has zeroed on his close lieutenant Sidharth Kuncalienker. For me it will be a walk down memory lane as 30 years ago had contested as an Independent from St Andre constituency against his dad the late Dr Sripad Kuncalienker a very soft spoken gentleman who won polling 4478 votes. At that election in 1984 Sidharth Kuncalienker’s dad Dr Sripad Kuncalienker who contested on a Congress ticket polled 39.55% of the votes followed by Teotonio Pereira with 28.25%. Amongst the 13 candidates who were in the fray stood fourth polling a 1002 votes. In those days an Independent rarely crossed the 200 mark. So after contesting against the father, will it now be locking horns with his son three long decades down the road. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar may be pinning his hopes on Manohar Parrikar but the next MLA of Panaji has to be an effective legislator and not a dummy expecting Manohar Parrikar to run the show. Good governance is about making no false promises and not navigating U turns. There can be no room for corruption and nepotism. The verdict in this ensuing vigorous battle for Panaji will fittingly be delivered by the very judicious voters who silently and surely will make their right choice while also expressing their anger disgust at the current sordid state of affairs. Together for a better Panaji the just welfare of all sections of society regardless of caste or creed. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE DOUBLE FACED MANOHAR PARRIKAR
At the ensuing by election to the Panaji Assembly constituency there will definitely be an occasion or two for all the candidates to debate on a common platform and face the queries of the voters. Regardless of who Manohar Parrikar props up as his BJP candidate, he should himself stand up on that public platform as he has a lot to answer on all his U turns and the chaos he has left Goa in. At the last session of the Goa Legislative Assembly Manohar Parrikar had vowed that everything he has done in public life was above board and that he was ready for an open debate with anyone and anywhere on the allegations of corruption and nepotism against him. At two public functions one in Margao and later at Panaji I had dared Manohar Parrikar to a face off on his acts of omission and commission while even allowing him to choose the date and venue. The Chief Minister did not respond for he knew he would have been publicly confronted with facts and figures backed by documentary evidence on how deeply his hands stood soiled with endless acts of blatant corruption and nepotism committed over the last two and half years. While hoodwinking the people of Goa with his so called mantra of Zero tolerance to Corruption, Manohar Parrikar chose to keep Goans distracted by finding fault with all including NGOs, activists, the media and even the Judiciary instead of trying to put his own house in order. He frantically tried to keep the lid on the misdeeds of his government by intentionally not appointing a Lokayukta and also sabotaging the functioning of the State Information Commission. Manohar Parrikar has been a very egoistic, self centered and revengeful politician. We all know how over the years he has systematically sidelined the Bahujan Samaj face of the BJP Shripad Naik. Now he has back stabbed his college friend of decades Francis D’Souza who he foxily had made a mere ornamental Deputy Chief Minister. The Bhai of Goa has now chosen to be the Bhaiya of Uttar Pradesh after having fooled Goans with all that glossy talk on Special Status for Goa. Narendra Modi would have to take a call whether someone who has miserably failed as Chief Minister and is so tainted could ever do justice as India’s Defence Minister. If we could not trust Manohar Parrikar to even give the authorities his correct residential address how can we entrust him the country’s defence. Someone who has lied on oath and filed a false affidavit despite being the Chief Minister is something very alarming. Many years ago I had a lot of faith and trust in Manohar Parrikar. Over the years seeing his acts and deeds all that trust has just waned away. Today I can very responsibly say that Manohar Parrikar has been the most untrustworthy and devious politician I have encountered over the last 40 years in public life, who has merely used people for his own benefit and to espouse his hidden agenda. I know that Manohar Parrikar’s sycophants and stooges may not like what I have expressed. The truth cannot be masked for too long. Have always believed in speaking fearlessly and this I shall do till my very end regardless of the price that may have to be paid. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] ECI SEEKS REPORT FROM CS ON FAKE DEGREE PROBE AGAINST GOA CEO
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought an urgent factual report from the Chief Secretary of Goa on the current Vigilance probe pending against Mr. Narayan Navti the Acting Chief Electoral Officer of Goa in connection with his alleged fake BA degree. The ECI action follows a complaint drawing the attention of the Chief Election Commissioner that Narayan Navti was currently being probed by the Vigilance department for a BA degree he had falsely claimed to have obtained in 1988 from the Osmania University in Andhra Pradesh. Prompt action by the Election Commission has been sought to uphold the independence, transparency and sanctity of the electoral system A person who is under the scanner of the Vigilance department and that too for having submitted a fake degree should not hold a crucial and sensitive post as Chief Electoral Officer or for that matter any other post. Narayan Navti’s BA degree which is allegedly fake has gone missing from the government records. As per the records Narayan Navti as of date has only passed 12th Std. Narayan Navti who is now at the mercy of the powers to be and having become a caged parrot cannot be expected to discharge his duties fairly and impartially. Narayan Navti who is currently politically well connected is pulling all strings possible to delay and subvert the ongoing vigilance probe against him. Narayan Navti besides holding the post of Acting Chief Electoral Officer is currently also the Director of Panchayats and was earlier Additional Collector. He joined government service as a Talathi on 10th March 1987 and in 1993 based on that fake BA degree was selected by the Goa Public Service Commission and posted as Joint Mamlatdar at Satari. Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister was fully aware about Narayan Navti’s fake degree but turned a blind eye and took no action as it was Zero action against those corrupt who have links with the saffron brigade. Narayan Navti is not the only officer with a fake degree. Good governance requires a Special Investigative team to unearth the other likes of Navti and line them up to be housed at Goa’s central jail at Colvale which is due to be inaugurated soon. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] THE POSSIBLE WAY AHEAD FOR PANAJI
Panaji will soon have to choose an MLA to fill the vacancy created. The new MLA will have a very short term of just under two years. The election process would also incur a huge financial burden on the State exchequer, while the outcome of this election would politically not change the current equations either for the ruling party or the opposition. It would therefore be prudent for the people of Panaji to unanimously choose a candidate unopposed to hold the mettle as MLA of Panaji till the next Assembly elections which are scheduled for March of 2017. Shrinivas Dempo, Dr Oscar Rebello, Sabina Martins, Annand Madgavkar, Dr. Vinaykumar Raikar, Haji Shaikh Mustafa Kadar, Adv. Harshvardhan Bhatkuly, Prof Ketan Govekar, Bevinda Collaco,Tony Dias amongst others are some names that could be considered. These are distinguished citizens who have in their own away been pro-active in society and contributed to the betterment of Panaji but may not want to soil their hands in the political rot. However if persuaded as the unanimous and unopposed choice then Panaji could be saved of an unnecessary election and the uncalled for unnecessary financial burden on the tax payer. It is high time the election laws are amended to prohibit elected representatives from walking away half way through their term. While a person should not be allowed to contest from more that one constituency there should also be a prohibition on a person already holding a post to contest another election till he completes his tenure at the post he already is elected. Unnecessary by-elections is something unacceptable which our country also cannot afford. The only by-lection should be in the case of a death of the elected representative. Elected representatives who create vacancies at their whims and fancies should be penalized. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
