Governor’s Rule should be imposed in Goa for the rest of the term By Nisser Dias nisserdias at gmail.com SMS to 9422437029
Last few weeks the state seems to be going through turmoil of political nature, not that there was any absence of bickering since the formation of this government almost three years ago, because every minister in the Digambar Kamat led cabinet is a disgruntled element. But in the recent past, the rumblings have been more vociferous mainly due to the fact that the government treasury has almost become empty. And when such situation arises our ministers tend to feel like fish out of water.
Every now and then it is either some minister who shows signs of dissent or at another point it is the coalition partners that up their ante against the functioning of the headless government in Goa. Headless because all decisions including disciplining the ministers or inducting or dropping them does not come under the purview of chief minister but the High Command. And the Congress party is wholly responsible for the mess we are facing today.
For example, way back in the year 2007 when Churchill Alemao, who was not a minister then, tried to destabilize the government along with the then UGDP MLA Babush Monserrate and ministers like Vishwajeet Rane and Sudin Dhavlikar, Churchill was pacified by not only inducting him into the cabinet by dropping Sudin, but also allowed back in the Congress party. Vishwajeet Rane was untouched because of obvious reasons. Besides Churchill, other ministers who revolted against the government like Sudin were dropped from cabinet but with a promise to be inducted later, so also similar promise was made to Monserrate.
A year later another coup was staged by the same players and that too failed to materialize but the outcome was the coalition government led by chief minister Digambar Kamat was forced to induct MGP MLA Sudin Dhavlikar and unattached Taleigao legislator Babush Monserrate by dropping two Congressmen.
Thus for these shameless acts the main actors in the toppling bids were rewarded and thus they have been emboldened to act and to speak against the government and chief minister and get away with it. A classic example is recently, Education minister made some dissenting comments against the government for not disbursing money for purchase of computers, immediately like a scared hare, chief minister clears the file and shuts up the minister for a while. Then PWD minister Churchill raises his voice about non clearing his files and his files get cleared. Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco has become rabid in speaking against the government, the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues and then uses his High Command to bail him out without even an apology.
But now he has the cheek to seek an apology from his cabinet colleague Churchill Alemao for merely saying that Congress should go it alone at the polls and subsequently calling them mosquitoes. It is very amusing and at the same time disgraceful to think that these bunch of ministers represent the people of Goa. But then we get the government we elect. When Churchill says that Congress should go it alone at the next polls, it makes me wonder in which party he will be or will he float another outfit especially because he now intends to get in his daughter and if the Congress party does not allot tickets to three members of the family. Of course at this juncture his coffers are not only filled upto the brim but overflowing.
All this infighting between the party colleagues or among the coalition partners should be an internal affair of the parties which should be sorted out within themselves and those ministers who are not compatible should either be dropped or they should honorably resign as ministers, instead of demanding dissolution of the assembly. The question the ministers who are making this demand should ask themselves, are the people happy with their performance.
Tourism minister Mickky Pacheco is demanding dissolution, what is his contribution to the ministry his holding in the last two and odd years in power. To my mind his contribution is abusing hospitality in star hotels and getting a case registered against him in casino scandal and usurping his powers as minister and trying to fill lowing lying areas illegally. Babush Monserrate record is not any better, a charge of attempt to murder hangs over his head in the stoning of Panjim police station case. The opposition pointed out controversial lapses in the tender for high security number plates. Health minister is on an equipment buying spree for the health sector in Goa, but no visible improvement in being seen at GMC or other hospitals. The finance health of the state is in a precarious situation and yet the Revenue minister is part of the gang of seven. And these are the same gang of ministers that is saying government is not functioning, demanding a leadership change but yet no cost ready to give up power or step down as ministers and pave way for others. But want mid term polls again.
These same ministers have got ill gotten wealth accumulated during their days in power to waste, but why should the country waste precious exchequer’s money for their vulgarity or their lack of public morality. It could also be their game plan to derail and defeat the delimitation process and continue to get elected in the same constituency and enjoy power for another five years.
The best thing, in case the assembly is dissolved by 31st March 2010 would be to impose President’s Rule for the rest of the term and make these hungry power politicians who have made politics their bread, butter and business to flutter like fish out of water till next elections. (ENDS)
===================================================== First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - Mar 25, 2010
