From: Samir Kelekar <[email protected]> To: [email protected]
Subject: [Goanet] Proud to be a Goan, I am an Indian first Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Some of those, mainly who have non-Indian citizenship, have questioned the fact that I am in Bangalore and not in Goa. My position is very clear --- like Sachin Tendulkar, I am an Indian first; of course, I am proud to be a Goan. Ask any Californian American --- whether they are a Californian first or an American first. regards, Samir Response: Samir, Your attacks on Rajan are getting a bit tiring now. Couple of days ago, I saw our PM promising votes for NRIs. I am sure this will include PIO as well as OCI holders. However, once they have voting rights, I am sure people of your ilk will find some other reason to object to any good work that people like Rajan do. I was in Goa couple of weeks ago. I saw examples of two types of Goans: one I would admire, the other, equally goan, that I detest. The decision of the high court in Rajan Parrikar's PIL was reported in a non-goan newspaper, Tarun Bharat. No Goan paper thought the news was worth reporting. For the first in the short history of Goa, a municipality has been forced to form a panel responsible for keeping the city clean and the contact details of this panel will have to be publicised so that people can complain if the cleanliness is not maintained. A small blow to the might of the establishment by a focused, intelligent brave Goan who was prepared to painstakingly gather evidence of dirt around Panaji and present it to the courts. What the residents of Panaji and the council will do in future is upto them but someone put his time and effort as well as money where his mouth is and did something good to improve the quality of life of a few Goans. The other news I read was that Digambar Kamat, the one time leader in waiting of the saffron brigade and now the Kangress CM has been appointed as patron saint (or some such grandiose title) of an organisation called MARG. This is apparently an NGO/CSO. This organisation has been run by a Kelekar. Any relation? Any idea how much money this organisation takes from the govt coffers and how much of it goes to the concerned Kelekar? Is it this financial relationship with Digambar that makes Rajan a thorn in your side? If so, Goanetters should know. So, on the one hand, we have Rajan who is prepared to work selflessly for Goa while we have some niz goenkars on the gravy train. I know which type of Goans I would lend my support to. Anil Desai
