BJP Is Not The Alternative
Since the advent of the BJP in Goa’s political sphere it is the first
time that there seems to be a clash within the BJP, so far, for
decades there was no one to question the leadership of BJP “supremo”
in Goa but finally time and destiny seemed to have caught up with
Manohar Parrikar and with Sripad Naik questioning his isolation from
state politics, Manohar Parrikar looks to be a wee bit insecure.
Manohar Parrikar managed to hold the reins of the Goa Vidhan Sabha
through a coup he managed to institute within the Congress party but
unfortunately could not hold on for too long to his reins as the same
people gave him a dose of his own medicine. As for the short stint at
the helm of Goa’s political edifice he only managed to aggrieve the
minority communities with his outdated communal ideologies and did
everything possible to alienate the minorities. His involvement in the
CD case, the deletion of some religious holidays and not forgetting
his bias employment policy, were some of his misdeeds that irked the
minorities and a large part of the majority community, I am sure he
had never, even in his dreams thought that he would be in power exile
for such a long time and after a long time in the power wilderness he
now sees a chance to hit back at the corrupt Congress and acquire the
rights to the reins of the Goa Assembly.
His timing has been perfect the opportunity clearly provided by the
Congress in its attempt to go into corruption overdrive, illegal
mining and the acrimonious RP 2021. Parrikar knows its now or never,
as such seeks redemption and support from the minority community. But
as wise as he is suppose to be; he fails to understand the phobia that
he had caused and created in the minds of the minorities will not be
washed away by merely accepting the fact that the deletion of holidays
was a mistake. He acknowledges the mistake but is there any apology or
remorse for his communal acts ? He was the one who sowed the seeds of
communalism in Goa where none existed prior to his advent which even
made the educated of the majority community to doubt his credentials
as well as his intent.
South Goa and Salcette in particular has always been pro Goa, pro
Konkani and pro Congress no matter what sins the Congress has
committed in the past but today the situation has changed, with
peoples anger ever rising against corruption, mega projects, anti
people RP2021 and nepotism which the Congress has been supporting and
promoting, South Goa is seeking a change which is evident enough with
people supporting a lot of independent candidates challenging both
the central parties and their alliances and if Manohar Parrikar thinks
he can make inroads into the hearts of South Goans with a mere
acknowledgement of a mistake but with no remorse about his communal
intent, he should think again, because Goan minorities and the
educated majority is not ready to forgive Manohar Parrikar for his
communal policies which could have taken Goa to communal war where Goa
and Goans would be losers in an attempt to safeguard his own “Chair”.
Today with no choice Parrikar is forced to woo the minorities and as
expected Mathany has been his first pawn and others will surely
follow, but what can Parrikar achieve with a few out of favour members
of the minority community jumping onto his communal bandwagon ? Goans
and more so the minority community in not just interested in
assurances, Congress has been outdoing all their contemporaries in
that department, it is the actions that speak louder than words and I
am sorry to say that Manohar Parrikar has not done anything concrete
yet to change the perception of the minorities in his favour. As
elections are nearing Parrikar has promised migrants that he will
legalize their illegal shanties, if this is not a cause for concern
what is ?
It is high time Goans got rid of all the central parties in Goa, are
the people in Delhi and other parts of India interested in the welfare
of Goa and Goans ? We do not need parties from outside Goa to tell us
what’s good for Goa, because only we Goans know what is good for Goa
and Goans. The central parties are only interested in numbers to set
base nothing more nothing less as a result of which we have suffered
for the last three decades as our own leaders have been running in
circles around the high and low commands to score brownie points for
themselves at our cost. Goans please understand that the communal BJP
is not the answer to Congress’s corruption nor are the GVP and the
UGDP. Vote for a Goan party with credentials and integrity, let Goans
decide Goa’s future in and from Goa.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes
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Protect Goa's natural beauty
Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve
Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php
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