http://www.indianexpress.com/story/275876.html
In eye of storm, Monserrate makes, breaks Goa govts Raju Nayak Posted online: Friday, February 22, 2008 at 0147 hrs Print Email PANAJI, FEBRUARY 21: Goa MLA Babush Monserrate, who was arrested after he attacked the state police headquarters on Tuesday, was released on bail by a Sessions court on Thursday. Related Stories Upset over reports of affair with Salem, his lawyer attempts suicideNashik violence: NHRC notice to Maha Govt'To respect my brother, stop hate campaign'To keep migrants out, Raj calls for changing the ConstitutionRaj hate campaign spreads Ad Links Speed Reading Does Speed Reading Work Speed Reading for Kids However, immediately after his release, he was again taken into custody for his role in assaulting scores of Youth Congress workers at Taleigao last month. Monserrate, a four-time MLA, who makes and breaks governments, is known for the iron hand with which he virtually lords over his Taleigao constituency on the outskirts of Panaji. Five years ago, Monserrate decided to plunge into electoral politics himself and virtually took over Goa's administration. Former Chief Ministers Pratapsinh Rane (Congress) and Manohar Parrikar (BJP) made feeble attempts at reining him in by forcing Monserrate to join their parties but to no effect. Monserrate regularly made a mockery of the anti-defection law by quitting parties and contesting afresh regularly in the hope that his voters would not disappoint him. Such is his clout that in the past five years Monserrate was said to have ordered the transfer of policemen even though he had no Cabinet post. Two months ago, Monserrate went one step ahead. He attacked the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Habitat at Dona Paula outside Panaji and damaged Government property as he was opposed to the facility coming up in his backyard. Office-bearers of the Youth Congress, who supported the project, were badly beaten up and several were hospitalised. Monserrate and his men got away scot-free despite the fact that the Congress party was in power. Veteran politician Dayanand Narvekar, the powerful IT minister who backed the project, remained a mute onlooker. Since then, Monserrate has been demanding his pound of flesh from Chief Minister Digambar Kamat by virtue of the fact that he was backing the minority Government. According to political observers, Tuesday's attack at Goa's police headquarters was an attempt by Monserrate to show his strength. But it backfired badly on him. Meanwhile, Kamat decided not to treat him with kid gloves and allowed the police to deal firmly with the MLA. After some 45 policemen were injured in the violence, several of their colleagues descended on Monserrate's fortified house and beat up the MLA and his relatives before marching them off to jail. "Before becoming MLA he would try and be in the good books of police officers. He would know if there was some marriage or any ceremony at the residence of a police officer. He would be ever ready to offer transport to be in their good books," a senior police officer said. After he became MLA, Monserrate built his political clout, thanks to the Town and Country Planning Ministry allotted to him by former CM Manohar Parrikar. First with the BJP and then with the Congress, Monserrate got into trouble for not opposing the sale of rural and forest land to real estate developers under the Regional Plan. It was shelved after public protests. The latest trouble came after Monserrate demanded that he be allowed to leave his UGDP and contest afresh on a Congress party ticket. Kamat is said to have gone slow on the request, lest other party members like Narvekar be offended. Monserrate retaliated by attacking the police headquarters.
