Sameer, Congress having "party funds"? Now, that's news to me. All this while it seemed as if the Congress was just a large blanket under which businessmen of varied ideologies ganged up. It has been each-man-for-himself (very few women) and freelancing in the worst sense of the word.
Other, more ideology-driven parties (whatever the ideology) have had more of a "party" spirit. The BJP showed what this means with their plush sixth-floor party office on Atmaram Borkar Road in Panjim after less than six years in office. Looking at the drab Congress equivalent on Dayanand Bandodkar Road, near the waterfront/Mandovi, one can well wonder where all the "party funds" reached after dominated Goa for the 1980s, large part of the 1990s and nearly half of the first decade of this century! To be fair to Congress-style corruption, I think it offers "equal opportunity", even if in a very perverse sense. It opens doors to all -- at least all who are willing to pay. Not like its contenders for power, who create artificial barriers (e.g. police recruitment, top bureaucracy, etc based on religion or caste) and then swear there's nothing one-sided about it. Take a look at the changing demography in the bureaucracy, for instance. Or the make-up of staff in some departments. You're right. Corruption can, at times, be "secular"! (The cost is efficiency, but this is also true as a result of communalism.) I think we have a Hobson's choice, and disagree strongly with those trying to portray things in Goa as a Congress-versus-BJP choice! (Even if only by critiquing one and staying silent about the other.) FN On 12 August 2010 22:41, sameer naik <[email protected]> wrote: > The congress has always said its the most secular party in India. Very > often i felt that this is just a propaganda to get votes from minorities , > but today i was enlightened. > > I received the following news (which quite a few over here might have heard > abt earlier) from 2 separate industry friends : > > The fastest way to get an electricity connection in a particular industrial > estate is by "donating " the asked amount of money to Congress Party Fund. > this irrespective of the whether ur a genuine law abiding consumer.. or a > someone who wants to make a quick buck (No discrimination). The amount can > vary from 3lacs to 10lacs as per the wishes of 'whoever asks for it" > > The interesting part is 1 of my industry friends is a catholic and the > other a hindu. And both were asked for exactly the same amount as > "Donation". Now wouldnt u call that Secularism??? no Discrimination on the > grounds of faith what so ever. I am sure the communal parties would not have > done the same. A fitting tribute to the Congress , a day after they complete > 125 years as the only Secular party of India. > > I wish the Congress good luck in furthering the cause of secularism in the > years to come. > > - Sam naique >
