Reading between the lines * BY MAYABHUSHAN NAGVENKAR The official website of Bharatiya Janata Party's Goa unit (www.goabjp.org) really seems to have taken it's best efforts in introducing its candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Take the party's candidate for South Goa Ramakant Soiru Angle for example. Mr Angle's biodata appears to be a confluence of opposite interests, between which he seems to be performing an outlandish balancing act. To illustrate, click on a link in the know your candidate section that leads you to Mr Angle's long list of particulars. Under the header 'political and social' status, the fourth listing informs us that Mr Angle has been, "a member of the Consultative Committee Environment and Forest". Allegations, that it was only Mr Shirpad Naik who was Goa's public face in the corridors of power are rendered untrue. While critics had alleged that Mr Angle was a 'non performer', the MP was also doing his unsung bit for Goa, on the crucial committee on Environment and Forest. The committee would do well to listen to his advice, considering the fact that Mr Angle has considerable experience in the 'protecting' forests and 'preserving' environment as the subsequent paragraph on Mr Angle's resume reveals, "Heading a Business organization with 5 proprietary concerns related to Mining Industries and also a promoter of 4 companies dealing in bulk drugs, pharmaceuticals, building construction and ferro-manganese." It simply showcases the diversity of the person's character. That, being a businessman steeped in mining interests -- rather five proprietary concerns related to the industry -- Mr Angle can so easily don the hat of a member of a crucial consultative committee on Environment and Forests. There is more to come. Mr Angle has also been appointed member of Goa State Environment Protection Council. It is generally understood that mining and environment are opposites on the axis of any logical debate. Somehow Mr Angle proves this long-standing dictum wrong. Then there is the link, which takes you to North Goa candidate Shripad Naik's resume. It thankfully lists out all his five ministries in the Central government ministry in chronological order. The portfolios being Agriculture, Shipping, Civil aviation, Road Transport and National Highways and Finance, lest anyone forget the order of progression. Both the resumes go a long way in indicating that the duo are actually as different a chalk and cheese. While Mr Angle merely heads sports associations, with no visible reference to any active participation in sports activity, in comparison Mr Naik is a been-there-done-that kind of a persona. To be more graphic, Mr Angle heads three comparatively obscure sports bodies like the Goa Handball Association, Sanmitra sports club and the Baseball Association of Goa. He serves as secretary for the Gymnastics Association (Goa) and has long standing affiliations with the Salcete Football Club, Cuncolim gymkhana and Taekwondo Association. Mr Naik on the other hand, is an ex NCC cadet with a 'C' Certificate to his credit, along with an award for 'best shooting'. He has also played volley ball and kabbadi at the state level. The merit list finally ends with the mention of him winning the award of the best swimmer in a state level competition. The only other interesting read on the website is a column "bulls-eye" written by Julio D'Silva former journalist and ex- personal assistant to Mr Ramakant Angle, who raises the foreign origin issue vis a vis Sonia Gandhi. The article raises a question as ridiculous as, "In the first place if the Congress President Sonia Gandhi truly loves India and Indianess, why is she still called Madame which is an European or rather Western term?" Surely, if one goes by this logic, the writer would surely take affront to anyone calling him by the title "Sir". Deservedly or otherwise! ENDS ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
