1st Published in Heraldo in Nov 2018
The formalin fish row has got everyone goat and it does not look like it is settling down soon in the near future. The ultimate sufferer continues to be the common man be it the ordinary fish eater or the ordinary fish seller. The root cause of this whole issue is the underlying political aspirations. Most of Goa’s issues stem from this fact, political aspirations which are different from Goa’s aspirations.
Recently two worthies from the duly elected assembly were spotted grinning as they boarded a late night flight to Delhi,for business they said. The next day they announced they had resigned assembly seats and from their political party and had joined the ruling dispensation. Business it is. Never mind that the political ideology of the party they left and the party they joined are as similar as chalk and cheese. Is being a member of a political party not mean you believe in the concepts or manifesto? Apparently not, the position before and after getting elected is totally different. Before elections it is with folded hands and numerous promises. Post elections it is the will of “my” supporters prevailed and the promises, what promises they are meant to be broken.
However, the shocking aspect came the next day. One of the worthies declared that he was promised Chairmanship of a Government Corporation and Ministerial position ASAP. Wow, is this not corruption, he resigned his constitutionally elected position as an MLA, to accept some favours in return, if not corruption what do you call it, REWARD?. That is what the papers reported a few days later, both the worthies were rewarded with Chairmanships of Government Corporations, as if Government Corporations are like channa to be distributed while sipping champagne and toasting the fact that the public was fooled lock stock and barrel.
The Congress not to be outdone, rushed to the rescue of the former BJP Chief Minister to sympathise with him and most likely to request him to stand on their ticket. Topsy Turvy, assuming he wins, surely he will say, I was from that party and so I am going back and no one can do a fig leaf to stop him. But it seems no one is learning from history and the saga of decay continues.
The rot in the system is again highlighted by the fact that we have an ailing Chief Minister who for reasons known to all he is being kept as Chief Minister only because if he resigns or steps down, his colleagues cannot agree on his successor and thus will end the term of this Government that was anyway built on chicanery.
When someone is sick, he takes sick leave and uses the time to recover. If it is a temporary illness like a fever no issue if he continues with a day off. But when one is afflicted with a pancreatic ailment which has now graduated to pancreatic cancer officially, any right thinking person would decide that the ailing CM needs rest and peaceful time with his family. Unfortunately our politicians appear to be neither compassionate not right thinking. They continue to make absurd statements like “he is recovering” “he is much better” “he contributed meaningfully to the discussion”. Really, I do wish none of these politicians or their relatives ever have to fact the same situation because they will realise how much of a disservice they are doing to the CM and his family directly and to the State at all levels. Am happy civil society stepped in because politicians have failed us.
The mining dependants are rightfully waiting and wanting mining to start. The rotten powers that be go on promising a quick start in the near future. The most recent promise to restart mining as it was must be made good by 30th November 2018, most likely that will be followed up by more finger pointing conveniently to the Centre. The question that begs an answer is why is the Government reluctant to go the auction route and restarting mining ASAP. Other States have done so and are reaping huge bonanza’s in terms of fees and do not have to beg the centre for loans like in the case of Goa. Had the State moved to auction the mines, by now they would have started and the mining dependants would have got what they are asking for. Political or rather politician interests are more important than the States interest. So mining dependants continue to be used.
The Political class has come down heavily on uncooperative bureaucracy. Yet these same bureaucrats managed to amend the TCP Act and add a section which allows anyone to apply for a change of zone on a “case to case” basis. Why do we need these discretionary powers, why are we not focussing on a regional plan or development with some thought to the future, future of the State and not any one person. The reason is in the recent report that now Orchard lands can be converted to settlement on payment of a fee under this amendment. This means that all conversions done under RP 2001 and stopped because of RP2021 are now converted in one stroke. The Government should inform which large orchards owners have benefited? Alas, the rot is deep and and appears well set. I do hope and pray someone challenges this mindless amendment.
We will need more than formalin to stem this rot, we will need a revolution of thought and a clutch of selfless leaders to extract us from the unholy mess. If you are game, if you want change use you vote wisely.
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