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2008 International Goan Convention
Toronto, Canada
Early Bird Discount Registration closes March 31, 2008
http://www.2008goanconvention.com/regform_print.html
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Dear Arwin,
I commend the effort you have put in to frame the ideas you
have presented the NRI commisioner and the Congress / NCP
leaders with. It is possible they may take the issues you have
raised seriously. There are also many reasons why I feel trying
to get the establishment currently in power to do something
for the long term good of Goa and Goans a waste of time.
I list these reasons below :
# The Congress / NCP / SGF / MGP / Independents government
currently in power has only one objective. To make financial hay
while the sun shines.
# The only concrete steps this government will take are those
which will help it to stay in power. None of the measures you
mention will make any difference in the short term to them in
this respect ( and they will only look at short term benefits )
# There is absolutely no unity in the current disposition , each
MLA only being interested in making a quick buck and doing just
enough for his constituents to ensure re-election if and when
the government collapses.The goverment will not take the risk
of rocking a very unstable boat in trying to please a few idealists
like you.
# The current MLA's have almost without exception won their
seats by indulging in activities ,or lending a generous helping hand
to unscrupulous elements who are involved in such activities which
are detrimental to the preservation of Goan culture , land and
identity. They are not going to start digging their own graves by
helping you to preserve Goa.
#etc etc etc
While you may prefer to continue in your path and not need
any advice or suggestions from an idiot like me , here are 3
alternate plans anyways :
1 ) Help an idealistic party like Goa SuRaj to come to power .
While they can stick to all the points in their constitution , you
will however need to convince Bab Floriano and Narain-bab Dumo
that they cannot win a single seat at present , even with perfect
candidates and principles , without money and muscle power .You
will then need to fund them with an average of 20 crores INR per
constituency ( multiplied by 21 constituencies ) to buy the required
votes and muscle men.
If you wish,I can point out the 21 constituencies to be targeted.
2 ) Form a new outfit ( which will not have a single candidate who
will be lured by upto 100 crores INR offered by the Congress or
BJP ) and win 5-6 seats in a hung assembly. These legislators can
then hold a future Congress or BJP led government to ransom and
push your agenda through.
I have identified 6 constituencies ( 4 requiring a Catholic candidate,
1 a Hindu ST person and the last a Muslim ) which can be won with
a reasonably good candidate and just 5 crores per constituency.
3 ) Help Manohar Parrikar to come back to power after putting certain
safeguards in place to help keep the Hindutva hardcore elements in
control.
Reasons why this can work :
# Unlike the Congress , if you can control MP , you can control BJP
at present ( and there will be many who may contest this on Goanet...
but as of present , that is a fact )
# One of the rare advantages the RSS link gives BJP is the discipline
within its ranks ( if not for which MP would not have kept his MLA's
together when out of power in the last 3 years.....contrast this with
the Congress / NCP which is struggling to keep even ministers with
powerful portfolios within its ranks )
# MP is probably the only person who has the inclination to think in
terms of the long term good of Goa ( and in a position to carry out
your demands provided he has a stable majority )
# We are in a position to blackmail MP into both acceeding to your
demands and moving away from the hardcore Hindutva lobby. If he
does not come to power within 3-4 years , it is unlikely he will have
the political will to continue. And without MP , the BJP will struggle
to win more than 10 seats ....and the Congress can rule happily ever
after in our lifetime.So he has a last window of opportunity ...we can
help him open the window in reurn for helping us to preserve Goa for
future generations.
If you wish to try out the last plan ( as a back up to what you are
doing
now ) , I suggest you organise a group of politically powerful
individuals
( and that will necessarily include the Church leaders particularly
from
Salcete ) and have a meeting with MP ASAP.
If you wish, I will personally be responsible for ensuring that
Manohar
Parrikar gives you unlimited time and undivided attention in any such
meeting or meetings.
warm regards,
anand
( Dr Anand Virgincar )
