Vijai Sardesai plays the “Mopa” card against Parrikar, kick starting a new
political movement and a serious opposition forceTeam Goan ,Margao19 January
2013
In no other state in India does the taxi business influence the ebb and flow of
politics, as it does in Goa. Many a political driving seat is established if
you get your taxi politics right. The Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai took his
little steps towards being the man of the moment, by attending an
inconsequential Annual General meeting of the Black and Yellow Taxi Owners
Association a few days before the launch of his Goemkar movement.On the day of
his January 15 rally to launch Goemkar, with the movement against the Mopa
airport and the protection of Dabolim as the emotive trigger, the black and
yellow cabbies decided to participate. A worried industries minister Milind
Naik called and asked them why they were participating in Vijay’s rally. But
another man was hurt even more. Naik’s neighbor and sulking Congressman Mauvin
Godinho, who has a strong base of cabbie supporters of the black and yellow
kind.He was shocked with the reply “The issue is too big. We have to support
anyone who wants Dabolim’s development and is against Mopa.”As he launched his
movement, apparently non-political, there was politics dripping from every
pore. In a trademark that is so his, Sardesai makes up for a lack of a mass
base and a groundswell of pan Goa support, with his uncanny nose of smelling a
political scoring opportunity.Goemkar would have been just another
opportunistic flirtation. But he has injected political romance by pegging the
movement around protecting Dabolim as an international airport and opposing the
Mopa airport tooth and nail.This is heartstring politics, which is making both
Chief Minister Parrikar and the stray pieces of the Congress cagey. The
Congress’ desperate defense is to shout out loud that it retains the patent of
Salcette’s opposition to the Mopa airport and dismisses Sardesai. But the
frustration of people like Fransisco Sardinha is apparent when he says “My
advice to those who joined him is to bell the cat and voice your opinion, but
don’t mix with these frauds who were very much a part of the previous
government.” Sardinha’s amnesia that the government was his too, is appalling.
Sardinha’s letter to the Civil Aviation ministry, as Chief Minister asking it
to “expedite” the Mopa airport, will make him a virtual cast away in Salcette
Mauvin Godinho, who has his own issues with the Congress, gives Sardesai no
credit. “All this has happened because of the Congress relies on the same old
leadership and doesn’t listen to genuine feedback. The issue is important but
people will have to see who they are supporting.” Godinho isn’t likely to get
this space back anytime soon himself. Widely regarded as the villain of the
piece, in the land de-notifi cation saga, where 36,800 square meters of land
earmarked for parking at Dabolim was handed back to Bernard Costa, who in turn
sold land to builder Anand Bose, Godinho has taken a credibility hit. But the
biggest take away from the formation of Goemkar is that it has pitchforked
Sardesai into a one to one straight combat with Chief Minister Parrikar,
especially in Salcette. This is a major irony since the most natural
beneficiary of Congress’ corruption by de-notifying the Dabolim land would have
been Parrikar.Activist Joao Philippe Pereira, who has fi led a PIL for the land
for Dabolim to be taken back, says “ Section 6 of the Land Acquisition act was
allowed to be lapsed on June 15, 2002 by not paying compensation to the land
owner, paving the way for returning the land to him. After this it became
difficult to re-notify the land. The CM must answer as to why he did
this.”Giving the Dabolim land back would have given Parrikar the cushion
against a Salcette backlash, in his efforts to speed work on Mopa. Here,
without wanting to, Parrikar is being seen by a Salcette that whole heartedly
voted for him, as the man on the other side of the bridge that divides north
and south Goa, the line of separation between pro and anti Mopa forces. His
move to invoke Section 6 and acquire 22 lakh square metres of land in Mopa, on
Thursday Jan 17, through a nine page notice in a local daily, (incidentally two
days after the Goemkar rally) has sharpened the backlash. Predictably Sardesai
has reacted. “The Chief Minister has shown scant respect for the people who
wanted Mopa land acquisitions to be stopped.People are seeing a huge haste in
commissioning land for Mopa and no haste in getting land for parking in
Dabolim.” The Goemkar bandwagon can trudge along and pick up new passengers.
Firstly Salcette’s non-Congress MLAs supporting the BJP government – Caitu
Silva, Avertano D Souza, Benjamin Silva, Rajan Naik and Mickky Pacheco – will
have to find ways to support the issue without supporting Vijai’s formation.The
challenge will be to see that this line doesn’t blur. Sardesai’s success will
lie in making the anti Mopa movement synonymous with Goemkar. Vijai Sardesai
may be the nephew of Ravindra Kelekar, but he is still not Chandrakant Keni or
Ulhas Bhuiyao or Uday Bhembre, stalwarts of the Konkani movement, who became
the movement itself. 2013 will tell if he can convert public sentiment into
opportunity where Salcette trusts him, after failed experiments with people
like Churchill, Digambar Kamat.Sardesai would love to add Parrikar to that
list.Parrikar vs Sardesai. This is Goa’s most visible political fight at
present. Here are some snap shotsManohar ParrikarVijay Sardesai should have
resigned as General Secretary of the Congress, when the Dabolim land was
denotified
How did Sardesai build his huge bungalow on farm land?
If the Congress admits that it took bribes to de-notify the land (Costas), I
may re-notify it
You can park vertically also. There is a multi-level parking coming up. The AAI
should also insist on land from the navy
The Mopa tender will have a condition that Dabolim would continue
Vijay SardesaiWilfred Mesquita was the architect of the petition against
de-notification. He is a senior BJP member. He should resign in protest against
Parrikar’s inaction on the issue
Land was converted legally. I also disclose my income and pay taxes unlike
others. Why does my house come into the picture every time I take on Parrikar?
Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco admitted it publicly the next day. Why didn’t he
re-notify?
>From 2010 there is no communication between the govt and the civil aviation
>ministry. The de notification has also not been conveyed. Parrikar is
>strangulating Dadolim
These clauses are not put on international tenders. And has the civil aviation
ministry said so
If the CM is so confident of the people’s support on Mopa, let him announce
another opinion poll or call for a fresh election on the issue
Goemkar will have two effects. Fransisco Sardinha will never win the South Goa
parliamentary seat. The BJP too has no chance of winning it. — Vijai Sardesai
I am the real anti Mopa manThe former general secretary of Congress part of the
government that did the denotification scam has come together with blackmailing
lawyers and failed politicians and is trying to fool Goa about his interest for
Dabolim. I have always resisted Mopa and opposed the denotification scam at
Dabolim, I have more credibility than him to oppose Mopa. - Mickky Pacheco, MLA
Nuvem
The boy is frustratedWhen an official of the civil aviation department stated
that Mopa could mean the closure of Dabolim, I chased him away until I got
assurances that Dabolim will stay and after Rs 500 crore funds were released
for Dabolim’s expansion. I think the boy (Vijay Sardesai) who was denied the
Congress ticket and won by fluke is just frustrated and trying to draw
attention. -Francisco Sardinha, MP South Goa
The Congress is nowhere, anyone can come inThe issue is important but people
will also see who is leading the movement. The Congress is so weak that any Tom
Dick and Harry can lead any movement in South Goa. - Mauvin Godinho
I sent my people for Vijay’s rallyI totally support the issue. If Mopa comes,
South Goa will be finished. What will we leave for our children? My loyalty is
to the people first. Why are we in politics? I am with the Congress but I sent
my people for the rally. – Joaquim Alemao
