From pop to yoga
Pop stars and Yoga gurus have their own formula. About a fortnight ago, Goa's
most popular entertainer for over a generation, architect Remo Fernandes
suggested at Margao that Goa's politicians need to be "dumped" if the State
is to be saved. Speaking at a news conference in Panjim, Yoga guru Baba
Ramdev went further. He sought the death penalty for the corrupt.
Every one, even politicians and officials, will agree that corruption is
perhaps India's (and, by extension, Goa's) most severe problem of our times.
By the very leakages it causes, it emasculates development, squeezes the
poor, and distorts our priorities big-time. In addition, it demoralises the
honest, and warps our political process, besides effectively bringing the
worst to the top.
But is the Remo and Ramdev approach right? Our controversial politicians
(most of the 'winners') and officialdom (there are some honest officials,
but it becomes tough to survive) are not born bereft of the honesty gene. We
need to ask ourselves what makes them turn out that way, and, more
importantly, whether we too would behave like them if we occupied their very
place.
Something is drastically wrong with a system that places profit before
people, corruption ahead of crusades, and prefers dishonesty to do-goodism.
In part, the lack of inner-party democracy in most of our political
institutions is also to blame. So is the belief that we can take on a legal
and other infrastructure built with a colonial intent, and run a democracy
with it.
Recent times have seen attempts to clean-up the system. Right to Information
Acts are a clear recognition that things have gone too far, and governance
needs to be both accountable and kept in check. Both Goa, since 1997, and
entire India, since 2005, have had such laws. But in Goa's case itself, we
have seen how the law was short-circuited over time, regardless of which
party ruled Goa, Congress or BJP.
Much more needs to be done on this front. A laid-back citizenry, a scheming
officialdom and interfering politicians is not a good-enough combination,
and can together distort the functioning of the best of such laws.
Besides keeping governance transparent, what is needed is for politicians to
be accountable for every decision they take, or even influence. The 'oral
orders' syndrome needs to be checked.
Rather than just changing the faces-or the necks (if the take the "hang
them" suggestion seriously) -- of those involved in corruption, what we
really need is systemic changes that work for the citizen. In Goa's case,
merely asking for 'special status' is not enough. We need to first decide
what is needed-perhaps development that benefits the citizen, and doesn't
harm the ecology-and then find the ways of reaching there.
Labour dignity
One unusual message that came up on Labour Day weekend this year was by way
of an advertisement in the local media. It read: "Let's strive to work
together with a healthy respect for all kinds of work."
Indeed. Many of Goa's woes stem from the shyness, or reluctance, to take on
"demeaning" work. Some kind of work is seen to be "below the dignity",
specially to us Goans; the "dirty-work" is best left to the migrant poor.
Strangely, when the out-migration virus gets into us, we are willing to take
on any kind of job overseas. Is it because nobody knows us there, and our
misplaced sense of "shame" vanishes? Or is it because the payment levels are
simply better?
Talking about which, it would certainly help if work which was seen as
traditionally "demeaning" drew better payment rates. Secondly, jobs which
call for a lot of physical labour could be made less demanding on the
worker; if we complain of an acute lack of coconut-pluckers these days, why
hasn't our society been investing more in say equipment that makes climbing
the tree easier and safer? Lastly, we need a change in mental attitudes; no
more are we living in semi-feudal times, where certain jobs were pushed onto
the weaker sections; to ensure that "low" caste and poor-paying work doesn't
go hand in hand, skills upgradation and wider access to education is a must.
COMMENTS:
Every second person who is genuinely hurt by the way we are governed in
India, more specifically in GOA, likes to take pot shots at politicians and
the way they govern as if this breed will take heed and mend their ways.
They say, and it is true, that the skins of politicians will put to shame
the elephants, so thick they are. Power gets to a person's head once elected
and they believe that they can do anything and everything, above or below
the table when they rule the roost.
This editorial has actually taken pot shots at both the Pop Star and the
Yoga Guru. It is very easy to say "Drown all politicians in the sea". Two
things happen. (1) You are hitting the sensitive spots in the people who
are hurting inside and gain their sympathy, and (2) You are in the
lime-light again for being bold to say something like that. Remo has not
particularly been interested in how politics in Goa runs the governance as
long as he gets his lime-light. If he was, he would take his concerts around
in Goa to better inform people that they should change the way they think
and the way they vote and also make his money at the same time. He has not
been doing that but occasionally surfaces to fire a blind shot or two in the
air. On the contrary, Guru Baba Ramdev is doing what Remo is not. He is
trying to convince the people that the need of the hour for India, for Goa,
is to change the way we are governed. He is a famous personality and he
feels that people will listen to him. On Yoga, yes, certainly. But changing
politics? No. Basically because deep in their hearts they know, through
working experience, that politics cannot be changed easily. It takes nothing
short of a revolution. And those revolutions are not sold in the Mapusa
market.
Most people think that by electing the so called 'good' people, one will be
able to change the course of politics. WRONG. First, there are no good and
bad people. To change the course of politics, one must elect 'good' people
no doubt. But one must put them into a completely new SYSTEM of governance.
Putting 'good' people in the same old corrupt system of governance is like
putting new wine in an old bottle. Eventually, the wine will be corrupted or
be seen to be corrupted. First, electing good people into a corrupted system
or no system at all [Congress-BJP-NCP-MGP-UGDP what have you] one is just
wasting one's intellect. A few of these good people will leave in
frustration with the system which tries to make them zombie followers. But
most will stick around and justify their being around - power gets to their
heads.
Let Remo come up with a new system of governance and then say "Dump all
politicians in the sea". Let Guru Ramdev come up with a brand new system of
governance and then say "LET US ELECT GOOD PEOPLE INTO THIS SYSTEM" One
thing is certain. One has to have a brand new system of governance in place
or alternatively a modified system of governance, new procedures and the
edicts for their adherence and then look for suitable person who will be
willing to come into that system to run it, to implement it. Just because
people gather around you does not mean that you can change the goliath
corrupted over the years, system of governance.
Goa Su-Raj is a brand new complete system of governance. It can only take
in people who are self-less in nature, people who would give more than they
would like to take home. Ten years down the line, Goa Su-Raj's system of
governance is looked down upon by not even looking at it. We would
understand if it was looked into and then rejected. Goa Su-Raj system of
governance is impossible to be rejected if it thoroughly looked at and
understood. Only those who want politics to work for them will reject it.
Others cannot.
So why is it then that Goa Su-Raj brand of system of governance not taking
off in the minds of the people? The answers are many.
1. They have no money. It cannot get around. Therefore it will not work. [
If you are not even ready to give Rs. 10/- or 20/- to make it work, how will
it?]
2. These are ideologues. Ideology and practicality are two different things.
Ideology alone will not work. [That means ideology must be corrupted to make
it work?]
3. Who are these guys who are flying this Su-Raj kite? What experience do
they have? [That means you want Narvekars and Parrikars?]
4. Even if we elected these guys, they will be the same. [ You have already
defeated your aspirations? on what basis?]
5. They do not have the required muscle power. They will not be able to get
anywhere. [ Have you stopped to find out why they should have muscle power?
To burn the
Police headquarters? And you want clean politics?]
At Goa Su-Raj, we have done what Goa ultimately needs, a clean, workable,
new system of governance based on self-sacrifice . More than that we
cannot do. If we went around like blue arse flies spending money to get
people into this system, then the system will be there no more. Therefore we
sit firm where we are and want people to buy into the system. To buy into
the system, they will have to take the trouble to know the system. We can
take the horse to the water. But can we make it drink?
If each constituency in Goa gave us a set of people, a set of names that
they would want to represent them, we would certainly consider these and
work with them to get a leader amongst them to lead them without having any
recriminations such as ' why him?' ' Why not me' etc. the actual Goan crab
mentality. Because in our system which is designed to work, we cannot have
back biting crab mentality or ill feelings within the nucleus. If there was,
the nucleus will be destroyed.
Again, fielding one or two candidates out of 40 is water on duck's back.
Even if the two get elected, the question is, what are they going to do ?,
if not ultimately succumb? Therefore, if the People of Goa are interested in
at all changing the system entirely and drastically, they will have to
come forward to field at least 30 candidates if not all 40. With a set-up
like this it becomes a REVOLUTION which can be bought in every market from
Pernen to Canacona . A totally vibrant and meaningful REVOLUTION. And this
REVOLUTION will want time on its hands as it will not want to work with
money and muscle power, which in fact is not required in a literate state
like Goa, if sufficient time is given for it to succeed.
Can someone tell me if such a revolution can fail to take off?
Cheers
floriano
from PPS to PPS
9890470896
www.goasu-raj.org
PS: Someone I was talking to today mentioned this to me. "I went to my MLA
for some urgent help I needed. He point blank asked me to put my hand on my
heart and tell him if I have voted for him. I told him that I will not do it
as I have not voted for him. He point blank refused to help me."
This type of vote-bank politics will never happen with Goa Su-Raj because it
is designed to fight such vote-bank politics, I told this person. And BTW, I
said to him. If it was me that he had said something like this, I would have
shot him point blank like a stray dog and face the consequencies later.
No prizes to guess who the MLA is. This is the guy whose refrigerator was
found stacked with currency notes on his very first election to the
assembly.
You got it. DAYANAND NARVEKAR who offered floral tribute to a man who
worked against him in 2007 election. He didn't go there to pay his last
respects to Dr. Susrut Martins. He went there to collect votes for his next
election. That too with keds on.
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It is not ENOUGH that GOOD, HONEST citizens contest elections.
It is not ENOUGH that GOOD, HONEST citizen voters elect good, honest
representatives.
GOA urgently needs 'GOOD, HONEST, DISCIPLINED SYSTEM of GOVERNANCE'.
Wherein, even a dishonest person is forced to be good, honest n disciplined,
or to QUIT.
Only through PPS can such 'good, honest n disciplined system of governance'
be identified and accepted.
PPS GOA =PEOPLE for POLITICAL SANITY = PEOPLE'S POWER SYSTEM
for a date in 2012
Display the 'PPS' sticker on your vehicle today, to reject political madness
tomorrow.
