MLA Digambar Kamat's birthday celebration will go down in the annals of Goan history as Revelation Day. The man has spoken!
A shrewd politician, an understatement to say the least, he is a sailor at heart: he has made boat trips over the years, his most famous sea adventure was when as Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's deputy minister, he was found to be steering a new ship, the Congress Party; and was anointed Chief Minister, at that! He is a master sailor who knows how to steer his ship and even jump ship when necessary at the right time. Goan politicians are clumsy and appear amateurish when seated next to Digambar Kamat. His skills, as the Now Generation in Goa say, are awesome! He could open a political academy of his own, and give a run for their money - all the eggheads who run Goa's Politics Department in various universities. But, then, it would be a fall from grace - who needs it? I do not mean to isolate or pick on Digambar Kamat but he made a statement on his recently held birthday celebration on how the Congress Party deserted him when he was investigated in the mining issue at a time when it was a hot issue; and not an almost dead issue as it now appears to be and is on a sort of life support system. Even if Rahul Gandhi is elected, and if Congress comes to power, and if mining is revived, the next if is unlikely: will there be an enquiry into illegal mining in Goa and will the miners have to pay for illegal extraction? While other states are jumping, and one has already jumped extremely well and bitten off a huge slice of illegally stolen wealth and brought it back to where it belongs, the State, it is extremely unlikely it will happen in Goa. We are special. Will Digambar Kamat set sail on a newly-crafted boat and dock in a new political port? We need to wait and see. Some people have heard the pop of a champagne bottle. Maybe it is pure imagination? And, maybe it is not. What's in it for me has been on the political hit parade in Goa for years now and it is unlikely this political anthem will ever hit the red soil of Goa soon. The political culture in Goa for atheists, agnostics, and theists and true believers is the same: whatever is to be gained illegally is not for the people, even though each and every politician probably will disagree with me. During elections politicians are in a giveaway mode for obvious reasons but the reason for giving is always the same! In and out of season! The receiver is king. And, of course, when a politician is in trouble he is on his own. Digambar Kamat claims the Congress Party deserted him but his supporters supported him and still support him as his victory stunned everyone. That he won proves how myopic the statement is, but there is a ring of truth to it: the politician works for his supporters and his supporters support him. What they want they get, legally or illegally. Now, this is not Digambar Kamat's special kingdom. It is true for every politician in Goa, almost!
