I am addressing both Clinton as well as Jason here.
I was asked by GT for my take on 'bandhs' for tomorrow's Vox Goenkara.
The question was "How do you stand on bandhs" My answer was " I am speaking
for a political party. My party is against bandhs since the routine of the
people is disturbed. When my party comes to power, bandhs will be banned."
Clinton seems to harbour our views. But Jason has thrown in another gauntlet
which cannot be dismissed altogether.
Presumably, bandhs are looked down upon because they originate from
political agendas. Seldom do bandhs originate from people's agendas. Bandhs
are associated with ruthless enforcement by the cadres of the bandh callers.
Example: BJP, Shiv Sena, RSS, VHP etc. (I would like to include Congress in
the list aswell but I am not too sure about any such bandhs called by
Congress except perhaps the aftermath of the assasination of Mrs. Indira
Gandhi. It was more than a meer bandh.) Bandhs also result in injuries,
destruction of properties, arson and looting as well.
In its Roadmap for Goa, the Goa Su-Raj Party speaks of banning bandhs in
Goa. [Chapter II (12)]
However, I was speaking on last Saturday at the Mapusa meet organized by Utt
Goenkara, where I publicly stated that, in the wake of the grievous and
criminal attack on Adv. Aires Rodrigues and Prof. Prajal Sakhardande, as
well as the attack and inprisonment of social activists like Seby Rodrigues
of anti-mining fame along with an 85 year old for peacefully protesting
against illegal mining in Quepem, Goa should have observed a bandh. - a
veritable sacrilege for a person who has partly written the above mentioned
Roadmap for Goa.
Jason's views come in here when he say that banning bandhs ( or any sort of
protests) will be anti-people and pro-institutions promiting the fear
psychosis in the people like a BJP type (communal) political party in power.
(not that Congress is less communal :-))
All in all bandhs, protests, dharnas whathaveyous have an authentic place
in a democratic society but not when these resort to destruction of
property, maiming and killing people, arson, and free for all in the name of
democracy.
It is this virulent phase of bandhs and protest that this party will always
be against and work towards eliminating from the face of Goa, but peaceful
bandhs as a mark of protest against the policies of the whoever including
the goveremnt shall be more than welcomed.
Thank you Clinton and Jason for your most valuable inputs.
rgds
floriano
goasuraj
www.goasu-raj.org
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Keith Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2008 12:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Goanet Digest, Vol 3, Issue 1348
Dear Clinton,
I have extracted the points from your post that I would like to respond
to.
First i agree completely with you. If this bandh that the state does not
support is so effective, then clearly the government is loosing control.
And
yet, I would not like to see the BJP come to power. I would rather see
this
government continue. As I have indicated on numerous occassions, to allow
for Parrikar and teh BJP to get to power, would be to allow a fascist
state
to come into operation. this spells the death not just of Muslim and
Christian minority groups and their public expressions of culture, but in
addition to suppression of lower caste (tribal groups) livelihood
concerns,
and the actvist work going on all over Goa regardless of religion.
i know that we can argue both ways. what I am tryng to point out though,
is
that there is a problem with law, and that we cannot really trust it
anymore. the law right now, is in fact our enemy, as it is being
implemented
unfairly. the politics of Legitimacy offers us a more fluid ground where
we
can actually engage in debate and dialogue, rather than go into the stark
opposites that come about via the law.
in solidarity,
jason
Message: 11
Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:17:40 +0530
From: Clinton Vaz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Monday Morning Bandh Blues In Goa
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Goanetters,
Monday morning blues aside, I'm upset with the news coming in about the
violent enforcement of an illegal bandh. Having meticulously planned
appointments for my entire day in Panjim, Maupsa and then Vasco, I saw
it all go up in smoke thanks to the bandh today.
An illegal bandh, supported by the BJP, opposed by the ruling congress.
If the state government has no control over the state, then what's the
state of affairs? Is this organized by forces close to the BJP to make
it appear that we have an impotent government? My faith in the present
Government is waning, but if the BJP forces seem to be behind all of
this, then I distrust whatever Government they propose to form as well.
How many more times will such bandh like situations occur? Perhaps Goa
ought to put in legislation like the Kerala Goverment, making the
organizers of the Bandh reponsible and required to pay for whatever
damage that occurs during their imposed bandh.
Clinton..
