To be fair, almost every political force (and a number of social forces) has used organised religion in Goa.
For the Congress, it is the "we are your protectors" slogan when it comes to the minorities (though we know how subtly communal the Congress can itself be, except that it can change its colours chameleonlike and pander to all forms of communalism, including majoritarianism which goes under the label of "Hindu nationalism" in today's India.). The BJP has played on the distaste for corruption in public life and has effectively sold this to the Church too (even if they are very happy to garner the Bubushes, the Mickkys, the Alemaos, the Madkaikars, the Ranes, and others to stay on in power). It has taken a leaf from the campaigners of yesteryears, and has taken on the "concerned citizen" role in a number of recent protests too. Even smaller parties are not above this, except maybe less successfully so. I have been shocked with the gullibility of some of the Salcete padres in supporting the 'Save Goa' or UGDP types, out of quite an immature misreading of politics and politicians' motives, one could say. Politicians has used Hinduism in a big way, overtly and covertly -- as also caste -- though we find this much less discussed in the public debate. This is true since 1994, and the arrival of the BJP in Goan politics (with Digambar Kamat as one of the original gang of BJP four). It is also true of post-1963 MGP politics (of which, UG politics was just another side of the coin). Caste too has been made use of big time. As my friend A. John Simoes points out, in Goa, like in the rest of India, people don't cast their vote -- the vote their caste! All this talk about Bihar and "development" winning the polls there is a load of rubbish; you put together a winning combination of caste and communal groups, and you're through! FN Frederick Noronha :: +91-9822122436 :: +91-832-2409490 On 11 March 2011 23:12, SOTER <[email protected]> wrote: > Floriano wrote: > "A big ha ha ha if I may. > Church Aloof? my bloody foot. > Has it not signed a pact with Congress's Sonia Gandhi to protect and > proliferate CORRUPT Congress Culture in Goa?????" > > Comment: > Who can know better than politician Floriano about secret pacts? > Hope it is not the case of the pot calling the kettle black.
