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Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) Dr Oscar Rebello has been nominated
for CNN-IBN's Indian of the Year Award 2007 in public service category
Vote for him at:
http://www.cnnibnindianoftheyear.com/publicservice_voting_new.php
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The INC-NCP-Independent combine which abruptly adjourned the House in July 2007
just over a month of the CM Mr Digamber Kamat taking reigns of office on 7th
June 2007 repeated its act this afternoon by abruptly adjourning the House
-----allegedly to condole the deaths of several persons involved in a tragic
bus mishap which occured in the afternoon 1320 hrs IST at Pernem claiming over
12 lives and serious injuring 9 others.
The accident which occurred at Malpe slope just beyond the petrol pump at
Prenem North Goa this afternoon involved a 19 seater mini-bus carrying tourists
from the western Indian state of Gujarat. The accident according the Pernem
Police Station +91 0832 2201233 who spoke to this writer this evening invloved
the mini-bus tipper truck and and tanker. Most of the injured and dead have
been shifted to the Goa Medical College Hospital. It is learnt from Raj Bhavan
sources that the Governor too visited the injured at the GMC. One Goan from
Pernem is reported to have been among the expired
However many in the Government feel that the adjournment was unexpected as
normally the least that could be expected in such a situation was to condole
the death of the tragic incident. Hence it is clearly seen that it was intended
to offset the impending debacle that the Government was going to face during
the session. Two important Bills which were on the days agenda
a) move for leave to introduce The Goa Appropriation Bill 2008 by the
Minister for Finance and Law Mr Dayanand Narvekar and also to introduce the
Bill and then to be taken for consideration . Then to move that the bill be
passed.
It was following this decision of adjourning the House that the Ministers in
the Kamat cabinet tendered their resignations
a) Mr Francisco (Mickey) Pacheco
b) Mr Jose Philip D Souza
while the Parliamentary Secretary
c) Mr Nilikanth Harlankar also tendered his resignation.
all MLAs of NCP and
d) Mr Vishwajit Pratapsing Rane Indpendent
They however continue as MLA's of their respective parties.
Today;s development is not new knowing full well that had the Minister for
Finance Mr Dayanand Narvekar got the Finance Bill passed i.e a finance bill the
hands of Mr Digamber Kamat would be strenghtened until the next session in
March, 2008. This probably the other MLA's more specifically the NCP found
difficult to digest as they feel that as pre-election allies they were being
given stepmotherly treatment.
It may be noted that following the assault by supporters of the MLA Taleigo Mr
Antansio (Babush) Monserrate on some Youth Congress workers (one being the son
of Adv Ramakant Khalap ex MLA Mandrem ) who staged a protest in front of the
Casa Monserate mansion at St Inez against the demand of Mr Antansio (Babush)
Monserate the NLA Taleigao for scrapping the IT Habitat at Taleigao (a project
whose foundation stone was laid by the UPA Chairperson and Congress President
Ms Sonia Gandhi in 2005 ) it was Mr Digamber Kamat who had one of the
assailants a corporator put behind bars for his criminal act, while Mr
Monserate was holidaying in Dubai.
Apparently aggrieved by this act of CM Mr Digamber Kamat (though Mr Ravi Naik
is the Home Minister) Mr Monserate fears that his arrest may be imminent to cut
him to size forgetting that Mr Monseratte indeed saved the INC-NCP Government
after the unsuccessful coup by the BJP-SGF and others combine under the banner
of Goa Democaratic alliance to destabilise the Government in July 2007.
Already Ms Victoria Fernandes MLA Santa Cruz has been given a parole and was
seen sitting mutely in the House when the first session of the House for the
current year began 10th January, 2008.
So also the Dhavalikar brothers Deepak and Sudin were given a temporary
repreive and kept on parole by the Speaker just before the commencement of this
session, to offset any move to destabilise the Governement.
However it is clear that the tine is running out for the beleagured Kamat
Government and only a last minute manipulations can save the six months
Government from being ousted .
There is more opposition to the Kamat led Government from within with many in
the organisational wings of the INC party being antagonised by the recent
reshuffle, by the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief and South Goa MP Mr
Francisco Sardinha. Even the youth Congress were not too happy with the CLP and
the GPCC over the delayed action against Taleigao MLA.
Ironically today is the 41st anniversary of the Opinion Poll which decided
against the merger of Goa Daman and Diu with the neighbouring Sate of
Maharastra on 16th January, 1967 and also the Feast of Blessed Father Jose Vaz
at Sancoale.
The question uppermost in the minds of all is whether the Governor Mr S C Jamir
would play safe or otherwise. Given that the Governor who is a known INC
loyalist from the Nehru era wa not treated "appropriately" by the INC High
Command during the suicidal attack on his entourage in home state of Nagaland
there is obviously some heart-burning and this could also turn the tide against
the ruling dispensation in Goa.
Add to this the INC High command twice beaten at the electoral hustings in
Gujarat and then in Himachal Pradesh, has also put into action its "disaster
management plan"
Efforts to contact the SGF chief Mr Churchill Alemao Minister for PWD proved
unsuccessful it is obvious that Mr Alemao will wait for things to unfold as it
is the Sports folio has slipped from the hands of Mr Joaquim Alemao in the
second round of distribution of portfolios in December, 2007 end even though
the Union Minister Mr Priya Das Munshi had indirectly preferred Mr Joaquim
Alemao to be given the portfolio instead of Mr Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar.
When this writer spoke to Mr Antansio (Babush) Monseratte just a few minutes
ago before filing this report asking him whether he could be conferred the
title of king maker of the new government -- he laughed out the proposition and
said that there is still time to decide.
According to a source in the Raj Bhavan who this writer contacted there was no
reports of the CM having tendered his resignation as were the rumours doing the
rounds.
With Mr Priya Ranjan Das Munshi expected to soothe the ruffled feathers further
political developments are awaited.
GODFREY J I GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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