Rajan P. Parrikar <[email protected]> wrote: Finally - Manohar should begin his tenure with a gesture to the Catholic community. It must be something meaningful, and not perceived as a political gimmick. Some believed that his apology before the election was insincere and calculated only for electoral advantage. Well, he has a chance now to prove them wrong. There is a large number of Catholics who are skeptical about him but have decided to give him another chance, as the verdict suggests. It is these people that he needs to address
COMMENT: I omitted the first several paras of what Rajan wrote because I agree with them and also because they are self explanatory. I am not sure that any 'gesture' or apology is needed to assuage the Goan Catholic community. All that is needed IMHO is fair governance. The best thing that MP can do is organise to keep religion OUT of government. Once that is done, religion will stop (gradually) being a divisive force in Goan politics. jc Here is a NOV 2000 article http://www.colaco.net/1/horsetrade.htm Since the absorption of Goa into the Indian Union in 1961, it has been subjected to intense political turbulence. There were a few quiet years until the Opinion Poll in 1967. Then came the Language struggle and the disturbances which preceded the attainment of Statehood by Goa in 1987. Statehood did not bring an end to the political chaos. If anything, it appears as though the state of affairs has deteriorated significantly. Since then. Goans have been treated to a fresh coup and a fresh set of Cabinet Ministers almost once every year . Following a well planned and executed parliamentary coup, Manohar Parrikar displaced Francisco Sardinha as Chief Minister. Sardinha was touring Australia while the broth was frothing in Amchem Goem. The Cat was away, and the Rats struck. The removal of Sardinha was not an unwelcome one, the manner of removal, notwithstanding. It is well known that those who ascend courtesy a coup, descend via the same route too. Despite the opportunity afforded to reverse the notoriety gained by the infamous "Marks Scandal", Sardinha goofed big time with classic Neroism. He chose to forget the primary purpose for his being elected i.e. to represent the people who elected him. Instead, he displayed absolute inability to do much except watch as the State treasury was being further impoverished. He also had zero control on Ministers within his Cabinet, some of whom were openly 'collecting' quid pro quos. Sardinha failed miserably and was effectively canned giving appropriate meaning to the phrase "Sardinha em lata". It can be argued that Sardinha had very little choice. If he had stepped on the toes of his corrupt Cabinet colleagues, they would have just defected and toppled him. But Sardinha did have a choice. He should have resigned as soon as he realized that he was not really in control of his Cabinet. One cannot be a Chief, if one isn't. Evidently, the only person Sardinha was truly fooling, was himself. And he did that so very eloquently. The singular saving grace in the entire coup was Sardinha still doing the honourable thing by attending the Installation Ceremony of his outsmarter as the new Chief Minister. Goa can surely do without this ongoing instability. This is the only reason TGF says, let us give Parrikar a chance. Even though the people of Goa did not vote the BJP in power and even though Parrikar destabilized a sitting Government to claim the throne, he hasn't done anything unusual as per the norms of Indian politics. It would be naive to accept, at face value, his stated reasons for undermining the Sardinha Government. The reasons are just as implausible as the reasons his predecessors used when they did the 'honours'........... rather the 'dishonours'. In any event, we are this point now and from all indications, Mr. Parrikar has started well, so let us give him credit for that. He has led by example (for the time being) in separating private expenditure from public, by indicating that he would weed out the corrupt officials and by promising a clean Government. How he plans to be clean and transparent in the company of the very people he himself recurrently labeled as corrupt, remains to be seen. Thus far, he has remained eloquently silent about the same corrupt politicians who are now propping up his Government. This silence and the concomitant cohabitation with the corrupt politicians is very disquieting indeed. It leads one to believe that Parrikar might be just another politician - using any means to reach the end. The new Chief Minister has also revealed that he had received information from a 'middleman' that the Chief Minister's cut in the Bond-float ( to have been organised by the overthrown Sardinha Govt) would have been 1.5 crores of rupees. Until he decides to take this information to the police and have an open investigation into the matter, this allegation will remain just that. And aren't we accustomed to politicians hurling mud and innuendo at each other. Take the matter to its logical conclusion Mr. Parrikar. This "I will hit the right person at the right time" will ring hollow as long as you leave it in the air. If you are truly genuine, take the matter to the police, and if necessary to court. Mr. Parrikar has also made some strange initial comments. One being that he would prefer "Good Catholics to Corrupt Hindus". What kind of thinking is that ? I hope that this was only a slip and that the new Government will treat Goans of ALL faiths equally. In any event, let us afford him the opportunity to demonstrate the application of the hitherto well touted BJP discipline and fiscal control. It might be a turning point in Goa's turbulent post 1961 history; an era which has seen the very fabric of Goa, its civility, its culture and environment destroyed almost beyond recognition. If Manohar Parrikar delivers as he has promised, the people of Goa will have him as Chief Minister till he decides to retire. If he fails, he will be remembered as just another in a long list of destabilizers of life in Goa. He will also be remembered for his U-turn on many an issue whether it be META, Mauvin or Bonds !! TGF believes that he has the odds stocked in his favour, at this point and time. He is a smart, savvy and a determined individual. Besides, most of the defectors who have propped up this new BJP Government in Goa, wouldn't wish to face the electorate just yet. If they make too many strange noises or unfair demands, all Manohar Parrikar has to do, is to organize the dissolution of the House and call for fresh elections. Now, that may not be too bad an idea, would it? On the other hand, politicians often get "out of hand". They even begin to truly believe their own rhetoric, and as history tells us, self -destruct. Time alone will tell us. TGF November 7, 2000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
