My dear Friends,
My very personal apologies for the inability to respond to every message received. Being active on Face book, WhatsApp and Twitter, besides email, it has become virtually impossible to respond to all the hundreds of messages received daily. I however as a priority try and respond to the emails received. So if it’s urgent please email me at [email protected] or SMS me on 9822684372. And to those who intentionally attempt to engage me in a debate on every issue I raise, all that I have to say is that I firmly believe in everyone’s right to have an opinion. Having expressed mine, the floor is wide open for all to express their points of view and for the world to judge. In the last over four decades, raising issues against the illegalities of successive governments has not been an easy task. Truth hurts but it is only truth that will always ultimately prevail. On the issues that I have raised over the years it has been the wrong doings of those in power regardless of which party has been ruling. During the Congress regime I was branded as a BJP man, now the BJP may feel the reverse. We should never ever compromise or surrender our fundamental right to speak out openly and candidly against anything that is wrong. Let us never hesitate in taking the bull by the horn. The cancer of corruption, nepotism and bad governance in Goa needs to be dealt with an iron hand. In fighting against the government the threat of an attack on one’s life always looms. But as always, as a common man I remain unperturbed. I would rather die with a hope, rather than have that hope die inside me. The dedicated prayers and the enormous love showered by the common men is what keeps me going. We need to maintain that 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 fight. We owe it to Goa, or else posterity may never forgive us for having silently allowed our once beautiful State to just mercilessly pass away. The global pandemic has taught us the value of life, our priorities and the need for transparency and the truth. I remember the powerful motivational words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a globally respected human rights activist ‘if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you are on the side of the oppressor’. And the brave and inspirational words of Malalai Joya, the young activist and parliamentarian from Afghanistan who said ‘I don’t fear death. I fear remaining silent in the face of injustice. I am young and I want to live. But I say to those that want to eliminate my voice, ' you can cut down the flower, but nothing can stop the coming of the spring’ May the care, concern and compassion of every Goan wherever he or she is be always for Goa. We will all one day depart but our Goa must live. With best regards, Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com
