Is it that the Saffron bjp Fascist Dictatorship is already here? Shame on you Mr Pratapsingh Rane! Is your mouth sealed? Why should you be paid any salary at all, for doing or saying Nothing? Nascimento.
________________________________ From: Nisser Dias <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, 1 October 2013 3:31 PM Subject: [Goanet] Public voice stifled by the Opposition Leader -- By Nisser Dias *Public voice stifled by the Opposition Leader* The only opposition to the BJP led government in the state seem to the same people that have voted it to power as the principal Opposition party namely the Congress has abdicated its responsibilities and sacrificed its role at the altar of power. The Opposition Leader Pratapsing Rane does not seem to know his role as he is often seen as more accommodating of the ruling BJP then his own party colleagues. He agreed to the government’s decision of appointing Information Commissioners even though one them lacked the requisite qualification. It required an activist lawyer to set things right. And now Rane has gone and agreed to curtail the number of starred and un-starred questions in the forth coming assembly. Fatorda independent MLA Vijay Sardessai was very much right when he said that he is quiet on attacking the government because he wants to expose the Congress for going soft on the government. The decision to curtail starred and un-starred questions seems to have endorsed his view. Sardessai further criticized the Opposition Leader’s decision as a mechanism to restrict legislative freedom terming it unjustified, undemocratic and meant to stifle the voice of the Opposition. Maybe the longest serving former chief minister does not have experience in being an Opposition Leader as most part of his political career he has been the chief minister and for the last five years he was Speaker of the Assembly. The other aspect could be that he has not done his homework about the functioning of the Manohar Parrikar government and hence does not have the right questions to put the government on the back foot. The difference with the BJP or rather Manohar Parrikar and the Congressmen is that the former studies issues and keeps close tab on the functioning of the government and then tries to embarrass them on the floor of the house. Infact prior to the assembly sessions the BJP conducts mock assembly for its legislators on tackling the government during assembly sessions. But I have my doubts that the Congressmen can ever come together for such an exercise as within the party one-upmanship is their motto. Manohar Parrikar would have never allowed such a consideration if it had to come from the government if he was in the Opposition. And there lies the difference when Congress is in power they get all the work done from the IAS officers and other government officers and then present it as their own and hence do not have the habit of studying the files or issues. This is clearly reflected in Opposition Leader’s capability of taking on the government and thus the reason for capping assembly questions. If one is to believe former Education minister and St. Cruz MLA Atanasio Babush Monserrate the decision of the Opposition Leader to cap the starred questions to three and un-starred to fifteen was not discussed, it exposes the functioning of the Pratapsing Rane as being autocratic and overbearing who does not take his party-men into confidence. Monserrate has taken the battle to Opposition Leader’s door steps with his comments that nothing is happening to check the government and those who are afraid should stand aside. He has gone to the extent of saying that some people are there just for positions. This is a clear indication at whom he was taking a pot-shot. As rightly pointed out by St. Cruz MLA – public’s voice should re-sound in the Assembly through the Opposition. If that is not being done or the Opposition Leader gives a clean chit to the government then there is something wrong with the Congress, within the Congress and the Opposition Leader. There is so much resentment against this government be it the Law and order or Mopa issue or the turmoil in the Education department, in the cancellation of recruitment in various department, over off shore casino, illegal mining and stoppage of mining, etc. but the Opposition Leader allows a free passage to the government during the forthcoming assembly. The Opposition should have cornered the government on the Law and Order when BJP’s own MLA has said that the situation has to improve. The government should have been made to answer on all the promises and U-turns. It is an opportunity lost. And in return the Opposition Leader Pratapsing Rane receives accolades from the BJP as being a mature politician and a statesman. A ‘Statesman’ who has played into the hands of the government and offered the Congress party as a sacrificial lamb. A ‘Statesman’ against whom the BJP while in Opposition during the erstwhile Digambar Kamat led government had moved a No-Confidence Motion for allegedly being partisan towards the government as a Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly and now overnight he becomes a statesman for the BJP. A ‘Stateman’ for playing second fiddle to the government. A ‘Stateman’ for having stifled the voice of the general public. But then Ranes from state of Goa always had the affinity to being close to people in power. Can we forget that they were very close to the Portuguese and supported their invasion and rule in Goa. I really cannot say for sure whether Pratapsing Rane’s family was from this clan but his original party the MGP did want to merge Goa with Maharashtra. After almost eighteen months in power the general public thought that Congress the principal Opposition party would take on the government. All the more reason for the Congress to challenge the government on various issues was the over-looming Parliamentary polls where surveys have indicated the BJP has a clear edge over the Congress. But sadly our hopes and aspirations have been dashed. Nisser
