My dear Soter,
Reference to your email on the subject line above, I could'nt agree with you more and I am glad that you have come out so strongly and openly against the hijack of the people's movement that is being attempted. As you correctly established, the meetings at the TB Cunha Hall and in the Azad Maidan were used to divert attention away from the real issues that currently burn Goa. The attack on Aires and Prajal was only one (though clearly the most dastardly of attacks) on activists that have been happening through the past few months. Yet why is it that only this one attack got singled out for inquiry? We all know that Mr. Monserrate is a criminal and has many sins for. On this there can be no doubt. Yet, why are we all being forced to accept - by the media and these masked goons you refer to- that it is Mr. Monserrate that is responsible for the attack on Adv Rodrigues and Prof. Sakhardande? A democratic state governed by the rule of law requires a person to be considered innocent, until the guilt is proved (in a court of law). Why this haste in blaming Monserrate when it is clear that there are a number of groups that will benefit from this act. Dont misunderstand me, Babush is a thug and must meet his just deserts. However, if we are keen on a political process in Goa, that is clean, responsible and legitimate, it is necessary that we get him on the real issues, rather than the fox hunt that is clearly taking advantage of a carefully crafted situation. In the end, the processes that we lay out today, will give way to the Goa of tomorrow. Do we really want these sort of media-supported kangaroo courts determining guilt and innocence? And how can we not see that the BJP is carefully stoking a total collapse of the political process in Goa, so that it can then clamber on to stage and grab what it wants so desperately? Finally, I would like to join you in your condemnation of the social forces that had earlier presented the GBA as the saviour of the Goan people, but in fact are merely a front for dominant caste groups, business interests and landed interests. I do hope that there is something that we can all do, to stem this hijack of movement and redirect attention to the real issues - a regional plan that has no way to allow people to meaninfully debate it, the destruction of the bases of livelihood of a majority of Goans, through the construction of concrete jungles, mining and the like. in solidarity, jason >Of masked goons and masked activists >The dastardly attack on activists Aires and Prajal by masked goons deserves outright condemnation. But quick to respond to the >masked goons are the masked activists tryong to exploit the emotions of unsuspecting Goans. If the meeting at T.B. Cunha Hall was not >enough to gauge the script, the meeting at Azad maidan definitely exposed it all. From politicians who once shared the cabinet with >Babush to the builders chellas who support mega projects and dub the anti-mega project agitations as a christian conspiracy, all were >there displaying their presence and capitalising on the spilled blood of Aires and Prajal. Displayed on the dais was the potrait of >Mahatma Gandhi and of course the christian mascots of 2006 st. Inez mango tree fame. Politicians were given a chance to impress on >the people about how sincere they are. What better opportunity could the builders have than to divert people's attention from mega >projects and Regional Plan 2021to the masked goons of Babush? >When Dr. Joe D'Souza attempted to expose the root cause of anti-social activity, he was quickly stopped in his tracks. Dr. Sushrut >Martins also became a source of embarassment when he exhorted people to defeat all present politicians irrespective of which political >party they come from. The masks fell apart revealing the conspiracy. As expected the last word was left to Manohar Parrikar BJP >opposition leader and the builder's jolly boys from Margao. The masked activists once again managed to pull through a spectacular >masked agenda which has left gullible goans gaping as usual. While Aires and Prajal recuperate at Campal Clinic, the masked >conspirators can have a ball of a time. Watch out as the script unfolds in the days to come. Ultimately it is creating a crisis in the >government leading to a mid-term poll along with lok Sabha that seems to be the focus of the script. >From solidarity against masked >attacks the tracks will suddenly be shifted to special status as the po >ll agenda. Goans can forget about mining, mega projects and the disastrous RP 2021 which has converted most of green zones in >Pernem to settlement just to benefit a Delhi real estate shark. The masked activists need the builders, miners and goons to keep the pot >boiling. Will Goans care to see behind the masks of these activists before swallowing their tempting pills that only turn bitter later? >Goans need to just keep the focus on mega projects and RP 2021 whioch are more dangerous than Babush's goons. >-Soter D'Souza ------------------------------------------------------- Read my thoughts at www.dervishnotes.blogspot.com
