------------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION OF THE GOAN DIASPORA FROM GOA INTO THE WORLD Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2007 Details at: http://www.goacom.org/casa-de-goa/noticias.html -------------------------------------------------------
BIG BUCKS By Valmiki Faleiro Imagine a thief who has stolen things from you. For some reason -- remorse, whatever -- he seeks to return a part of what he stole. Is it immoral for you to accept it back? Is it sin to receive something that originally belonged to you and was surreptitiously taken away? This moralistic dilemma grips us at election-time. Candidates of major parties will have been finalized by today, two days ahead of the last day for filing nominations. By Friday evening, the last day for withdrawal, we will know the final lineup -- every worthy who seeks to represent you and me in the Assembly. Soon, the worthies will be all over us. The war chest, stuffed with money stolen from the public exchequer that belonged to you and me, will very reluctantly be unlocked. Big bucks will roll ... yellow and red hued Gandhi stationery (ah, poor Gandhi!), footballs, cricket kits, chicken and mutton biryanis, crates of beer and spirits, bicycles, ceiling fans, mobile phones, washing machines, refrigerators, TVs, motorcycles ... the list is as long as the politician’s convoluted imagination. Must you accept them? I look at election allurements positively. Elections have become a phenomenon where a bit of ‘socialism’ unwittingly gets into play -- the sacrosanct democratic exercise helps redistribute wealth, stolen or howsoever amassed. Elections make the voter a bit richer, the corrupt politician a wee bit poorer. Which is as it should be in our socialist setup. So, whatever comes your way, in cash or kind, grab it all, even ask for more! Accept all the inducements offered -- by doing that, you need not necessarily ‘sell’ your vote. Only where you are offered something to ‘refrain’ from voting, pretend you are puritan and reject the reward -- your vote is sacred, it is not tradable, and vote you must. Accept, specially from the seniors, but please do not demand, especially from newcomers not backed by big bucks. By demanding, we start what eventually becomes a vicious circle, where the politician must recover his ‘investment’ and more for the next election. When offered, accept, not from just one candidate but from all who offer. Promise them all your vote. You’re only paying them back in their own coin: making promises never to be kept. Swear your vote to each one by turns, any number of times, by the Gita, Bible or Koran. The Bhatji, Padri and Imam will tell you accepting ill-gotten wealth is a sin. It is not a sin to receive back what was originally yours. Remember nobody is digging his own pocket, or distributing ancestral private wealth. These scoundrels are merely recycling only a part of what they stole from the public till. Even when legitimately distributing public wealth in the form of welfare schemes, they’ll offer it as if it’s their own. A true doer of charity will never demand a kickback. They "buy" our votes and, after being elected, loot us a 1000 times over, by looting the exchequer. They then use this loot to subvert the electoral system. At the next polls, they will approach with a better ‘price.’ This time, let’s resolve to accept the loot and subvert them instead, by voting them out. Don’t just receive what’s offered, demand more -- esp. from those who’ve been around a long time. Even if it is a first-timer who offers the inducement, take it. He is no less a crook than the veteran thief. He is a wily ambitious thief who seeks to sow the wind, so he can reap the whirlwind. Thieves and potential thieves, veterans or first timers, deserve no mercy. Milk the corrupt, corruptible and corrupting cows as dry as you possibly can. Reject the yellows, demand the reds. Reject the bicycle, demand the motorcycle. Accept everything from everyone. And at the end of the delightful season, on June 2, forget them all and what they recycled back to you. You owe no obligation to any of them, none gave you anything from their own pockets. Remember only the good of Goa, remember your conscience. Pass on the message. Tell your neighbours, friends, relatives, staff, colleagues at work -- actively spread the message -- remember ‘word of mouth’ is the best form of ‘Prachar.’ Tell them about the big bucks. Guide them on selecting the best bet, which I’ll dwell on next Sunday. Accept the goodies that come your way, but when you punch the Voting Machine on June 2, remember Goa, remember yourself, remember your children, and generations of Goans yet unborn. Vote with your head on its shoulders. Keep your conscience intact, as you press that button. Vote the best man in the fray. Next Sunday, I’ll tell you how I’ll decide who the ‘best’ is. (ENDS) The Valmiki Faleiro weekly column at: http://www.goanet.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=330 =================================================================== The above article appeared in the May 13, 2007 edition of the HERALD, Goa ------------------------------------------------------- Goanet recommends, and is proud to be associated with, 'Domnic's Goa' - A nostalgic romp through a bygone era. This book is the perfect gift for any Goan, or anyone wanting to understand Goa. Distributed locally by Broadway, near Caculo Island, Panjim & internationally by OtherIndiaBookStore.Com. For trade enquiries contact <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -------------------------------------------------------
