Venzy Viegas is the new Marie-Antoinette - By Nisser Dias

One of the most famous quotes “if they have no bread, let them eat cake” is attributed to Marie-Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. It was the queen’s response upon being told that her starving peasant subjects had no bread. The anecdote was cited as an example of Marie-Antoinette’s obliviousness to the conditions and daily lives of ordinary people. Similarly, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas’s reaction to taxi charges of Rs. 4000 for 65 kilometres from Mopa airport to Benaulim, people eat lobsters of Rs. 8000. Arrogance and high-handedness is writ on the face of such a statement. Like Maria- Antoinette, he seems to be insensitive to the hardship of the people. Ironically the person who paid such a hefty amount happens to be from the MLA’s constituency. If one interprets the statement correctly, it indicates that Venzy is playing a balancing game of appeasing the taxi operators for votes as well as the BJP government. Ex-MLA Churchill Alemao had the courage to openly declare his support to the BJP government during his term, but the current incumbent, coward that he is, has extended undeclared support to the BJP government. In the very recent past during the Gujarat elections, while the AAP ministers were under heavy attack from the BJP government at the Centre, Venzy – an AAP MLA was honey-mooning with the BJP ministers in Goa. Being an opposition MLA, he was attending football matches and touring his constituency in the company of the ministers. At the same time, the government was bulldozing its way to build the western bypass through catchment areas in his constituency. Benaulim MLA always wants to be in the news and on social media. Since he was elected as an MLA, he has inspected many a site in the constituency and issued directions to authorities and officials to carry out certain works, but the end result is zero.

Filthy Colva Creek

Be it the inspection of the Colva creek, western bypass, flooding of Khareband, inspection of beach stretch in Benaulim constituency with the Tourism minister and the latest inspection of the sewage treatment plant at Sirvodem. Nothing has changed or improved at these sites. For some, it might seem that he is working for the betterment of his constituency but for others, it seems it is just an eyewash, trying to remain relevant through the inspection to win the next election. June last year, he inspected Colva creek and directed the WRD department officials to cover it with a wire mesh to save it from garbage or waste being flung into it, it has not happened. Western bypass is still being constructed by reclaiming the low-lying area, even the photo-op with Union minister for Transport Nitin Gadkari has not yielded results. Viegas for another photo-op ventured into the over-flowing or flooded Khareband, but nothing on the ground has changed to de-clog the catchment areas. Hence, we can expect a repeat of flooding again the coming monsoon. Venzy himself in a recent video said that for two months he has written to all the authorities possible to plug raw sewage from the Sirvodem treatment plant in river Sal and nothing has changed. It indicates that his flustering and blustering are not taken cognizance of by the government. This reminds me of an old adage, “Barking dogs seldom bite.” Basically, meaning he does not carry weight. And how will anybody particularly the government take a fence-sitter seriously? Benaulim MLA claims he is in the opposition but leans more towards the government. Benaulim constituents had cast their franchise in support of Viegas because Churchill had disowned the voters by supporting the BJP government and its policies which were anti-people and anti-environment. The current incumbent makes it a point to be present for protests against the double tracking of rail tracks and now the Mhadei issue. But it is only for optics and social media or he could be a government mole among the protestors. Have we forgotten, Benaulim MLA was very upset when he received summons to be present in the court in double-tracking protest in Arossim which coincided with the ugly

Destruction of Khareband for western bypass

spat with the Environment minister Nilesh Cabral at Khareband? Supporting the government on taxi app rates shows his true colours, that he will forgive the government for its misdeeds for his benefit. He remains in the good books of the government and on the other side, he is mustering the support or rather votes of mercenary taxi operators for the next elections.

Jaica resevoir lying unused

Sometimes it feels that the government briefs him on when to take pot-shots at it and when to keep his mouth shut. Venzy Viegas would have done better if he had worked towards uninterrupted power supply in his constituency by overseeing the electricity sub-station was provided and equipped with the spares they require for quality power supply. He would have done better if he had worked towards the commissioning of water tanks built under Jaica. But he will not do that as the government will have to provide funds. Inspections in media glare are just a way of diverting attention and blowing hot gas, to show a section of his constituents that he is striving for their welfare. Venzy Viegas is working towards his welfare (of getting elected again) aka Marie-Antoinette.