----- Original Message -----
From: goasuraj
To: Navhind Times
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 3:26 PM
Subject: Riposte to "Democracy as an Illusion: The Goa Experience - Kind
attn. Mr. Arun Sinha
JULY 8, 2008
To,
Mr. Arun Sinha,
The editor,
Navhind Times.
Panjim-Goa.
Sir,
Subject: A riposte to the editorial article captioned 'DEMOCRACY AS AN
ILLUSION: The GOA Experience' - The Odyssey's
While congratulating you for this piece of 'excellent writing', let me, the
second person named by you in the write-up say that, to the best of my
belief, I consider: (1) 'Our Representative form of Democracy ENDS the day
our ELECTION RESULTS are declared; (2) That I have always believed that it
is a SYSTEM (of governance) that must be supported and not INDIVIDUALS. That
individuals contesting assembly elections as Independents must be shunned
since they are bereft of any ideology but are only movers and shakers and
political commission brokers.
You will agree with me that there is a resonating cord to be found in what I
have said above and the gist of your entire article. Now, to get back to the
other specifics:
The Congress, the BJP, the NCP et al have failed because the SYSTEM is not
to be found anywhere but only the individuals. And without the SYSTEM in
place, the individual will perform in the manner that our Goan political
history has shown since 1961. Can we blame these individual? I say 'NO'.
Mainly because an individual left to his own preferences, will want to sway
like the 'air sock' at the mercy of the winds blowing his/her way, the winds
loaded with monetary incentives. The Individual could have been a 'saint'
for all that matters. But even saints do have their price, more so, in the
absence of a SYSTEM that must regulate his/her actions. A fine example
could be found in the history of 'Jesus Christ' and world He built through
his disciples. If He had not gone by the SYSTEM - [offer the other cheek...
etc], the world would have as many streams of SYSTEMS as there were
disciples. Even 'Judas' who defied the SYSTEM set by JC ultimately complied
by hanging himself by way of repentance.
You have named Matanhy and James Fernandes of 'Goemche Niz Mogi' besides me
in your most appreciated article. Matanhy has been in the activism world for
Goa since a very long time having built-up his credibility and integrity
over the long run of years. And people expected him to prove himself the
ultimate man on the real political fighting turf, the savior of Goan Causes,
when they got him elected to the Cortalim Constituency. But then, we who
have been around and who have been watching the Goan political scene
carefully and evaluating it as the events went by, did not give him 10 out
of 10 to keep himself on the track that he had followed. Reason being that
he had, unseen to him, moved off the original track he has always walked on
... the Ideology set-out by GOMANT LOK POKH ... to walk on the unholy track
set by the UGDP.... its founder having been the late Monte Xavier Furtado
amongst others. Today, Matanhy is struggling to gain the ground lost by his
voluntary inaction as the Minister in the BJP government where he, instead
of being his real attacking ferocious 'fighter dog' turned himself into the
'ear licking poodle'. This cost him his credibility as well a place in Goa's
history, inspite of his many fights for Goa. Hopefully, people of Goa will
forgive him his little peccadilloes and elevate him to his previous selfless
glory.
Coming to James Fernandes and his brand of Goemche Niz Mogi, I have nothing
against him and his ideological supporters. It is only that he has no roots.
And roots do not come easy. I have always wished him well and I will always
wish him well in the fight to SAVE GOA.
And I must say that I was totally taken aback by a massive surprise to find
my name qualified to be printed at all in your good Navhind Times,
especially in your own write-up. I was not around for many years when you
came to Goa (circa 1992-1993?) as I was sailing the high seas to be actively
involved with Goa and Goans. But the first time you heard of me was during
the 'Meta Strips' imbroglio, sometime in 1999 or thereafter. But then, the
assessment that you have made of my brand of activism (which I have followed
even during my sailing days) is found wanting. For one thing, I certainly do
not want to make a huge forest out of Goa wanting people to survive on the
fruits of the forest alone. I have a certain vision of my own, the vision
which I have, on many an occasions, prevailed upon you to have a look-see.
Certainly, I have not expected you to be dazzled with that vision, but then,
if you did have a clue, you would have found it fit not to include my name
as one of the promoters of a 'FOREST-GOA'
But then, you must not misunderstand me. It is just as well that you have
identified my name, because, you have given me the opportunity to showcase
to you as to what I do stand for. Therefore, I am taking the liberty of
attaching two simple documents which are self-explanatory. The Democracy
which you call an illusion can be brought in sight, even to the extent of
touching it in our life-time, if political leaders will put down a SYSTEM
and go by it, whether people want to belong to it or not, satisfying
themselves that, afterall, that is the best that they could come up with.
Believe you me, Mr. Sinha, the SYSTEM that you will see when you go through
it (as attached) is SEALED, SIGNED AND DELIVERED, once and for all. It will
only be able to be amended in the course of the future, by changing the name
of the Party. Not otherwise. This is the satisfaction that its founders have
kept for themselves to be remembered by when they are long dead and gone and
if the SYSTEM survives the modern convoluted thinking of making 'Hay while
the Sun Shines'.
And, by the way, when you say
" Other than organized major and minor parties, there exist in Goa several
politicians - like ......who are losers in past elections or aspiring
self-nominees for the next ones who are forever speaking a super-radical
lingo that makes even the most radical of Goa's saviors look like a part of
the gang of destroyers"
I want to remind you that when I contested in Taleigao's by-elections in
2005, it was to force the election process which otherwise would be
defeated by Babus Monserrate by declaring himself elected unopposed. If you
have any contest on this statement, then I am ready to elaborate. Again, my
contest in Aldona in 2007 was basically because no one was willing to
contest against Dayanand Narvekar on the ticket of the Goa Su-Raj Party. I
had even personally invited Fermeena Kaunte to contest on the Party's
ticket. It is another matter altogether if this Party would have given a
ticket to Fermeena Kaunte in the first place. For us , as I have said
earlier, the person contesting on Goa Su-Raj Party's ticket must be in total
and undivided agreement with (1) The Party's Constitution, and (2) The
Party's Road Map for Goa. Both these documents were given to Fermeena
Kaunte. It is but natural that she saw there was nothing in it for her to
grow to be the 'bean' in the clouds. :-))
And, for your kind information, this Party has gone on record to state that
this Party will not field any candidates in the next coming assembly
elections (2012??) if the Party's 'grassroots organizations' [setting up of
Constituency level Working Committees -CWCs] is not achieved. The reasoning
behind this is that it is a futile exercise to contest elections without the
basic grassroots in a constituency. So far, the contests were only to
promote the Party, which fortunately gives the maximum exposure during
election times. We believe that wanting exposure is the thing of the past
especially when the editor of the Navhind Times has openly come to terms
with it in the matter of recognition of the Party as a future force to
reckon with in Goa :-))
And last but not the least, the Goa Su-Raj Party is a catalyst for the Goa's
take-over (call it SAVE GOA if you must) in the fermentation pot where only
the purest agenda for Goa will be boiling, sans the sprinkling of the famous
'Goan Crab mentality'; the animosity towards different beliefs and
ideologies and businesses including mining, hate, communal virus, majority
and minority virus and above all the 'caste' and the 'religion' cards. Goa
needs an agenda devoid of the above, imperative that everyone sink their
differences and come together for just one thing ' Save Goa' by forceful
implementation of the SYSTEM of governance proposed by every party which
will not only benefit the rich, but also the poor, not only the
industrialists, but also the hapless workers, together forging ahead to see
Goa's problems like Garbage, sanitation, hygiene and the host of other
things that Goans dream about and become sick to realize that these are
beyond reach in their life-time. May the best written down proposal win.
And, I thank you, Mr. Sinha for the above most enlightening article and for
giving me a chance to literally vomit my guts out in positive response.
With kind regards
Yours truly,
for Goa Su-Raj Party
Sd/-
Floriano Lobo
Founding President/Gen. Secretary/Spokesperson
