Reference to the article "No reconsidering decision to amend Panchayat Act: CM" on Herald dated 10th Aug'09, I am beginning to wonder, if there is a breakout of another epidemic along with the "swine flu" called "foot in the mouth" disease that our esteemed CM is suffering from. First and foremost he puts his foot in the mouth by claiming that "The amendment was brought about as we felt that the common man is affected due to non-implementation of orders from the Director of Panchayat and that the amendment is not to help out certain groups or builders" he further puts the other foot in his mouth saying "With this amendment, the panchayat secretary will have to implement the panchayat director's order". And it's not surprising nor amusing to note that the opposition has been dumbstruck by it as well, looks like a highly infectious and contagious disease to me. Can we earnestly digest the ramifications of this hijack ? "The only remedy that I can think of at the moment is "President's Rule" to disinfect the whole Vidhan Sabha.
More than a strong ruling party, you need an even stronger opposition to run a good democracy but here in Goa, we have an impotent ruling party, and an equally limp opposition. Empowerment of the masses was a dream initiated by the 73rd and 74th Amendment which the Aam Janta were looking forward to, but now deceit turned out to be the most damning indictment of our deeply flawed democracy. It is the political will - or lack of it - which outlines the contours of disparity and lack of basic sustenance for a health democracy. Governor's signature on this bill will most certainly be the last nail in the coffin of the term called "Power to the People" and it might as well be cremated or buried and ashes or earth spread over the graves both Mahatma and Rajiv Gandhi who had a vision of India, which empowered it's People. With the many sins of commission and omission, the absence or the lack of a genuine mission, has been exposed in our elected representatives, today they have chopped the very hands that elected them, tomorrow we could have our necks on the chopping block, can we trust these slimy creatures ? The motives behind passing of the bill unanimously clearly exposes their lack of convictions and the shoddiness of their conscience and their ethos to work against the will of Aam Janta becomes even more disastrously and frighteningly obvious. We the Aam Janta in a twist of cruel irony have become the innocent victims of the power we bestowed in our elected representatives, assimilated by their greed. What do we have to look forward to once this bill becomes a law ? we have just two options, one is we might as well pack our bags and head for the Leningrad of old, or trek down the great wall, as we will have no more say in the governance and will not be able to object to the whims and fancies of our elected representatives. People's power down the drain. Or the second one, get up now and revolt and take the elected representatives to task. That would be most appropriate ! Freddy Agnelo Fernandes -------------------------------------------------------- The content of this electronic communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and any others who are specifically authorized to receive it. It may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or otherwise placing reliance on the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful in certain legal jurisdictions. If you have received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately by responding to this email and then delete it from your system. -------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
