Classroom Heat, Assembly Chill: Goa’s New Education Mantra -- BY Nisser Dias

If there’s one thing the Goa government has mastered with surgical precision, it’s the ancient Indian art of doing the opposite. While students are being stewed like dumplings in the April heat under the all-embracing National Education Policy (NEP), our honourable legislators are cooling their heels (and conscience) in air-conditioned Assembly chambers — with shorter sessions, of course, because deep thought and democratic debate cause... sweat.

Let’s not be ungrateful. The same government that can’t commit to a full Assembly session without breaking into hives has gallantly committed children to an additional month of schooling. Where sunscreen turns to soup and ceiling fans develop inferiority complexes. It’s part of NEP’s noble vision to prepare children for “national and global challenges”— starting with surviving climate change indoors, without air conditioning.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the man of many ministries and even more microphones, has shown true leadership — by skipping full discussion on NEP in the House and fast-tracking it into classrooms like a syllabus on Red Bull.

Infrastructure? Ah, mere details! After all, NEP is about developing higher-order thinking, not basic necessities like buildings or trained teachers. If kids can learn perseverance, surely they can also learn to ignore sweating through their uniforms in classrooms designed during the Jurassic period.

And if you think the NEP was debated properly before being enforced, think again. The Assembly session that tried to raise the issue ended faster than a Goan monsoon. Perhaps the Chief Minister feared that the Opposition would expose the grand disconnect between policy ambition and reality—or worse, force him to answer questions. Critical thinking is encouraged in students, not in elected officials. They prefer their sessions brief and their egos long.

Now, the NEP says we need to teach empathy, leadership, communication. Beautiful! Maybe someday that can be extended to MLAs—especially the ones who rely on bureaucrats to explain basic governance, or those whose only experience in communication is forwarding WhatsApp messages with typos.

GOA LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

"From reverence to disregard — If this is how Divinity is treated, what about the people? -- By Nisser Dias

When pomp turns into shame: The crib once meant to honor the Holy Family now lies discarded on the pavement.

MLA Venzy Viegas, is this how you show respect to Divinity? Your actions reflect a deeper attitude: Use. Misuse. Abuse. Discard."

With much pomp and gaiety, the Benaulim MLA had erected a crib in a pond at Tolleaband-Pulwaddo in Benaulim greeting his constituents ‘Christmas and a New Year 2025.

"Cash-for-Jobs Scam: Goa’s government stands naked in corruption" By Nisser Dias

The chosen ones to muddle the investigation

The cash-for-jobs scandal has reached an explosive tipping point, leaving the BJP government in Goa, led by a non-Goan Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, humiliated and exposed. This is no longer just a political embarrassment—it’s a damning indictment of the regime’s moral and administrative collapse. Pramod Sawant has lost every shred of moral authority to govern and should resign immediately along with his tainted cabinet. Their tenure has been marked by mismanagement, incompetence, and rampant corruption at every level.

Even during the superficial investigation into this scandal, the involvement of ministers and MLAs has come to light. Yet the police, rather than serving justice, appear determined to shield their political overlords. This raises a serious question: is there any independent or disciplined force left in Goa, or has every institution been co-opted into a web of corruption?

Take the case of South Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunita Sawant, whose statements sound suspiciously like a BJP press release. She has categorically ruled out political links between the accused and any politicians, but on what basis? Has she conducted a thorough, forensic investigation? Has she verified whether the name "Vishwajit," cited in connection with two of the accused, has no relation to Town and Country Planning Minister Vishwajit Rane?

What about the audio evidence implicating BJP MLA Ganesh Gaonkar, where a voice allegedly admits to paying ₹7 lakh to Revenue Minister Atanasio Monserrate for a job? Has SP Sawant investigated this claim? Or is her rush to exonerate politicians a calculated effort to protect her political benefactors? If so, she has no business being in uniform. She should resign and formally join the saffron party, as she has already shown her true colors. Police investigations into the cash-for-jobs scam is a mere farce.

A Rigged System Denying the Meritorious

Saffronised in Khaki clothing

This scandal didn’t surface due to police vigilance—it came to light because a spurned candidate exposed the rot. But what about all the “successful” candidates who paid bribes to secure their positions, trampling on the dreams of deserving and meritorious individuals? Has this aspect even been touched by the investigation?

Former Governor Satya Pal Malik had, back in 2021, exposed the BJP-led administration in Goa by stating on national television, “There is corruption in everything in Goa.” That was under Pramod Sawant’s leadership, further cementing the perception that Goa’s governance has been reduced to a cesspool of graft and patronage.

The ‘Queen Bee’ and Her Hive of Corruption

In a particularly shocking twist, most of the accused in this scam are women, one of whom was a BJP Mahila Morcha member. This points to the existence of a shadowy “Queen Bee” pulling the strings. Rumours abound that a minister was dropped from Pramod Sawant’s cabinet for refusing to entertain job candidates recommended by the Queen Bee. Yet the police, true to form, have buried their heads in the sand, pretending the public is oblivious to what’s happening.

A Farce of Accountability

Hollow assurances by non-Goan CM of Goa

Adding insult to injury, Pramod Sawant has made an absurd promise to compensate duped victims by auctioning the assets of the scamsters. Does he not understand basic legal procedures? The accused are unlikely to hold significant assets in their own names, and even if they do, these assets would remain tied up in police or court custody for years. Worse, given the shoddy investigation, there’s little chance of convictions. Instead, it wouldn’t be surprising if investigators are already eyeing their share of the ill-gotten wealth.

A Government in Decay

The cash-for-jobs scandal has laid bare the rot festering within the BJP-led administration in Goa. It has shown just how deeply entrenched corruption is under the leadership of a non-Goan Chief Minister. This isn’t governance—it’s organized plunder.

The time for accountability has long passed. The Sawant government must step down. A full judicial inquiry led by independent authorities—not caged parrots—is the only way to restore a semblance of justice and credibility in Goa’s governance. Anything less would be yet another betrayal of the people.