Lopsided lessons on freedom of expression does not impress anybody. -- By Nisser Dias

Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has a habit of only advising people but never accepting advise from others because of his ‘know it all attitude’.

Recently he was addressing the students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Goa during the convocation ceremony at Ponda, wherein he said, “people talk about their right to freedom of expression, what about the duties, responsibilities and accountability”.

Was the chief minister giving a lecture in Civics? Does anywhere in the ‘Constitution of India’ freedom of expression is interspersed with duties, responsibilities and accountability? Parrikar should answer this first.

The biggest or rather chronic problem with this man is that he thinks only he knows everything and rest know nothing.

This man has to be told that this generation are responsible as they want to see their nation among the developed countries but are being mislead and manipulated by politicians.

The young are contributing in their own way towards the progress of Goa. Has Parrikar the politician failed to realize that Goa’s or India’s biggest enemy is the politician himself as they want to cling to power. Let him ask himself one simple question who leads youth to take up violence? Is it not the politician or political parties? How was Babri Masjid broken? Who lead the lakhs of youth. Have some of those young men from Goa who participated in it demolition not become politicians today?

It is the political class of people who have become insipid in their thoughts, words and deeds and are not allowing the young to take wheel and steer Goa to progress.

Secondly he was advising the graduating students to look beyond earning money and dedicate some years of their professional life for the development of the county.

Manohar Parrikar should first realize that as long as power hungry politicians continue in the political arena, continue with their corrupt practices, continue with their redundant ways of thinking, building bridges where bridges already exists so on and so forth the youth will have to get on with their lives.

He goes on to advise the young minds to give their two, three, five years to the people. Parrikar should recall what he told the press way back when he entered politics, he had said that he sought permission from his late wife to give him 10 years in public life. It is more than 24 years now but he is still dabbling in politics and does not want to make way for young blood. Infact the young blood that was infused in his place was forced to vacate and this man is advising the contrary. Have we all not seen and heard him telling one of Goa’s media channel in 2012 that it would be his last election but he contested again this year.

Can such a charlatan character who himself does not practice what he believes be allowed to preach graduating students? For me it is a complete no-no.

At the same time while chief minister was lecturing students in Ponda, his cabinet colleague Revenue minister Rohan Khante was also addressing students in Porvorim on the same topic of freedom of speech and expression during which he slashed out at NRI Goans for criticizing the government.

Khaunte must first understand that living standards of Goans here in Goa have risen due to the foreign currency NRIs have pumped into the State due to which the GDP has increased. NRIs have sought employment in other countries since successive governments could not and even now provide employment.

Revenue Minister Rohan
Khaunte

Take their criticism constructively as Goans in UK, US and Gulf regions are  experiencing the quality of education, health, transport and through their criticism trying to convince the government that it is high time Goans are provided such facilities. They are criticizing because politicians of all hues have become hard of hearing of the woes of the common-man. They are criticizing because just like us in Goa, NRIs are also convinced that the main aim of the politicians is to fill their pockets and coffers to last them a few generations.

Nisser Dias

The ruling dispensation in Goa is under fire and criticism is because of the manner in which they formed the government. Rohan took the support of the Congress to get re-elected and then for the sake of power jumped on the BJP bandwagon. His very elevation to the ministerial post is based on chicanery and falsehood but has the gall to lecture students on freedom of expression and target the NRI Goans.

It is said that one useless man is a shame, two of them is a law firm and three or more of useless men is a government. This is what Manohar Parrikar’s cabinet is all about.

What Goa does not need are more unemployed politicians to tell the young minds or young generation the difference between wrong or right.

If at all these politicians need to set an example for the students, they should first vacate their position from the high pedestal and earn a living just like the common man does and not rely on tax payers money to keep their hearth burning.

Conclusively we know our fundamental rights, our duties and responsibilities. And while all of us are accountable to the laws of the land, it is the politicians who are not or think they are above the law.