I am terribly happy to note what Samir has to say in this post, not so much
for saluting me but for defining the 'participatory process'.
A minor correction though. The year is 2007, not 2005.
I have always taken the stand that those who call themselves 'apolitical'
are cowards of the first order because they will not actively work against
the powerful candidates or chor parties fearing reprisals against their
illegal activities later if and when the crook gets elected, and/or
conniving masterminds aiding the
crooks and rogues to sustain their illegal activities. If one is straight I
don't understand why one has to fear anyone at all.
My reasoning is:
You have got a paid servant for your house. And you notice that the servant
is not only walking off with things from the house at ease but also gives
you big lectures and threatens you with dire consequences if you object. And
you let this continue? The next thing the servant
should be doing is to cut you into pieces, pack you in a gunny sack and
drop you
off in the gutters, instead of you do it to the servant. That is for being
useless and unfit to be the owner of
the house ---- APOLITICAL---- Hurrah.
Being political does not mean that one has to contest elections. Being
political means one has to see that a person with conscience and a will to
improve the general governance which directly affects your life is, first,
forced to contest and second, see that he/she gets elected by working
towards his/her election, even paying from your pocket towards that end.
The classic example of being apolitical is given by Anand Madgaonkar of
PMCA/GBA, in one of his letters to editor in the NT to which I have
responded "Let anyone get elected. We shall tackle him/her after that"
..... (I do hope he can tackle Babush Monserrate or Tony Rodrigues).
Today, I have called Lambert Mascarehas and congratulated him for coming out
as 'political'. with his "POLITICAL PARTY OF MY DREAMS" in NT Panorama of
today. "Try and write a constitution of your new party which is better than
the one Goa Su-Raj goes by" I have told him, "and I shall salute you" .
Indirectly, this is a standing challenge to those who want to float new
political parties in Goa.
floriano
goasuraj
----- Original Message -----
From: "Samir Kelekar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 10:05 AM
Subject: [Goanet] A participatory process called elections
Ms. Coelho has nicely argued the difference between reactionary
participation and pro-active participation in the planning process.
Soter has trashed Floriano just for reading the Interim Plan document
and expressing his views which differ from that of the GBA.
Now I have a question:
We have a great participatory process in our democracy. It is called
elections. Can any of the GBA honchos tell me why in 2005 the GBA
abandoned this participatory process and left the field to the rogues?
The participatory process mentioned by Ms. Coelho sounds great but
when you abandon elections and try participating this way, it seems to
be like using a back door.
It is still not too late. One participatory process is coming in Pale
soon. Will the GBA have the guts to participate in this?
I mean --- what is the reason for not participating in elections and
still taking the moral high ground ?
Is the GBA and the NGOs afraid of failures ?
I salute Floriano for taking the bull by the horns, and going through
the pain of failures. Unless the peoples' agitations take the bull
by the horns in Pale and in all other places, I feel that this issue
of regional plan/ planning etc is not going to get resolved completely,
as the elected representatives can always put a spoke in the wheel
by making different laws such as the TCP amendment.
regards,
Samir
