Saturday special: Rechado Viswon (Kingfish) posta.

Tourists, please do not come to Goa or be fleeced, heckled and abused. Alemao clan try to raise their heads again through goondagiri.

Tourism is the only industry that has given Goa a brand name, but it is common knowledge that footfalls of the tourists are dipping rapidly. One can safely say that there is an alarming decline in foreign tourists coming to the State due to lack of infrastructure, garbage menace, sanitary issues but the overall numbers or average numbers of footfalls are being cushioned and balanced by the domestic (Indian) tourists that visit Goa.

Sadly though instead of treating the tourist as guest - tourist taxi operators, rowdy unemployed locals and sons and nephews of politicians look them up as intruders, trespassers and sex objects.

Firstly the domestic tourist are at the mercy of tourist taxi operators who fleece them like there is no tomorrow and if they arrive in the State with their own vehicles they are heckled and abused by the tourist taxi operators and also the local vagabonds who flex their muscles because they have politicians behind them.

Warren Alemao - This gen-goon

It is an open secret that tourist taxi operators even go to the extent of blocking their vehicles or getting into an altercation with them spoiling the mood and the very purpose of their holiday.

I was a witness as to how the locals led by nephew of a defeated politician from Varca abused, surrounded, heckled a family from Maharashtra;  father, mother and three young daughters of less than 15 years of age. When I tried to intervene and stood by the tourists I too was jostled and heckled. Read on.

At around 4.00pm on 28^th April, I was heading towards Margao. At Varca I saw a Maharashtra vehicle (Innova) surrounded by rowdy locals and Warren Alemao nephew of Churchill Alemao arguing and abusing the lone male aged around 50-55 years with his wife trying to sort out the issue. The tourist was encircled by these pack of goons and the leader of the pack was this Warren.

I stopped my bike and what little I heard was the father questioning a local youth as to why he showed his middle finger (a sign of vulgarity) to his daughter and was demanding an apology.

But the youth along with others led by Warren were pushing, pulling the male and abusing him with all sorts of vulgar words. And Warren under the guise of compromising the matter was yelling at the tourist and telling him to go to hell and that his cronies are not going to tender an apology. Warren Alemao is indeed this gen goon.

As the tourist was being pulled one of his young daughter of around 8 years got out of the vehicle and yelled at the abusers not to touch her father. But it felt on deaf years. Even when the tourist told the rowdy locals not to touch him, he was being jostled. And Warren was denying that any of his goons had touched him. Finally the tourist asked the many onlookers whether they were with him to say that he was being pulled and pushed. There was a pin-drop silence.

When I said that I am with him and have seen the rowdy locals heckling him, the rowdy locals along with Warren Alemao piled on to me and started jostling me as well questioning me why I was supporting non-Goans.

Don’t I have freedom to stand by my convictions, should I be cowed downed by the goon from the Alemao clan. It is high time the Alemao clan realise that their dominance is over. Warren should also remember how his father had died before getting into inti-social activities. He should remember that during the 2012 general elections his uncles and cousins were defeated in totality. He should realise that people are against their corruption and goonda raj. Warren should understand that he might feed the locals and pay for their drinks but one day they will turn against him. It has happened earlier to the Alemao clan and it will happen again.

When I told them I saw them pulling and pushing the tourist and on that aspect I am with the tourists all of them got even more agitated and started abusing me.

As the rowdy locals along with Warren who is equally rowdy, boisterous and foul mouthed turned their attention to me, the tourists made a quiet escape. That was the only silver lining as the tourist made an exit without getting physically harmed but surely their peace of mind shattered, their holiday mood destroyed and more importantly they will be carrying a scary scare of their holiday in Goa.

Warren Alemao - was an accused in German girl's
rape case.

Finally a senior citizen intervened, led me to safety and asked to proceed.

What I gathered later from the by-standers was that the tourist had gone to the store near Varca church, after making the purchases they were coming out of the store when Warren Alemao arrived there along with his pack of goons. One of them touched the 15 year old on her backside, when she protested, the youth did the vulgar act of showing his middle finger to this young girl. That was the time when the child’s father and mother demanded an apology.

This is a scary situation for the tourism industry. If these rowdy locals with their political godfathers get away with outraging the modesty of women and girls, abusing, heckling and fleecing tourists the situation seems very bleak.

And by the way who is this Warren Alemao to compromise friction or arguments. Does he even know the meaning of the word ‘compromise’ or in common parley ‘settle’. He is the indeed this generation goon along the Benaulim coastal belt from the Alemao clan and if he continues his brazen activities he is sure to be the ‘nemesis’ for Churchill Alemao’s defeat in 2017 elections.

So my fervent plea to the tourists, please, refrain from coming to Goa. If you want a peaceful holiday and relaxation of the mind go elsewhere. If you still do come be prepared to accept cat-calls, indecent proposals and abuses.

 

 

BJP started killing Goa the very moment they were elected to power in 2012

By Dr. Claude Alvares

Dr. Claude Alvares

For the past ten years now, Goa has been almost in a permanent state of war. There have been regular invading armies and conquests, mostly originating out of Delhi, or Mumbai, or even Haryana and other places, each biting off slices of Goan villages and the Goa government has in every conceivable case, gone all out to support them.

The political leaders who run this government only come to the villagers when they want their votes.

Look at these simple facts about the new brewery and distillery approved for erection at Amdai, on the banks of the Uguem river -- a depressing repeat of hundreds of similar invasions being fought at Cavelossim, Carmona, Tiracol, etc:

a) The land at Amdai (64,439 sq mts) is purchased in 2013 by Vani Agro Farms, registered in Delhi, headed by Guptas and Jains, for the sum of Rs.2,39,71,308 (Rs.2.4 crores) from Anselm Furtado and Sheryl Furtado, living at Chouquivaddo,

Carmona. The adjoining plot of 60,000 sq.mts is also bought up by the same group, so now the total land acquired is 1,24,439 sq.mts. Vani Agro applies to Canara Bank for a loan of 43 crores.

b) The land is zoned as orchard in the regional plan, because it has magnificent spread of coconut and cashew trees. The new owners claim in a media interview that the Tree Act. being amended to exclude coconut trees, they do not need permission to mass-kill the trees on the plots.

c) According to the project report, there is 'plentiful water' to produce 5 lakh hecto litres of beer. There is simply no acknowledgement that the water belongs to - and has been hitherto sustainably enjoyed by - the people living in the area. The water, in fact, belongs to them since they have been using it for decades.

Locals protesting against the distillery, Congress and independent politicos lending
pseudo support.

d) The company applies for permission to extract 506 m3 daily from the Uguem river on 11.11.2013. This is granted by the Water Resources Department on 26.11.2013, in less than 15 working days. The Uguem river today is the only source of water for hundreds of ordinary Goan villagers for all the primary needs ranging from drinking to washing clothes. (Ironically, at this very moment, the Goa government is fighting the Karnataka government which wants to divert the waters of the Madei river to provide drinking water to Hubli and other Karnataka cities!)

e) The company applies for a public health clearance on 29.7.2013. The PHC certificate is promptly issued by Dr. Vinod Naik, Goan Health Officer, on 31.7.2013.
f) The company applies for an NOC from the Sanguem Municipal Council on 18.7.2013 and, lo and behold, a provisional NOC  is issued by Goan Chief Officer, Pramod V. Desai, on 26.7.2013 (within one week). The CO does not consult the elected council. He issues the certificate on his own.

g) The company applies for Town Planning permission. However, even before the TCP can consider the proposal, the new Goa Public Investment Board approves the proposal on 16/01/2015 and at two further meetings held on 17/6/2015 and  6/10/2015. The officers or people at the Public Investment Board who approved this file include Martin Ghosh, Nitin Kunkoliencar, Atul Pai Kane and some functionaries including the CM.

When ordinary Goans approach the same bodies for similar permissions or approvals, they are made to run around coconut trees. Now even that may not be possible, because at Amdai, more than 1,000 coconut trees will be cut to produce liquor and beer for tourists and other elements, as if they haven't already drunk themselves senseless.

No further comment, I believe, is necessary.

Similar scenario was repeated earlier at Tiracol as well, where the entire village lost 12,12,000 sq mts out of 13,84,000 sq.mts for a golf course again by another Delhi party, the Jatias, through Leading Hotels. The CM has been openly backing that project as well.

Got the message? Want more cases?

Competent Automobiles (Maruti-Suzuki dealers from (Delhi) have purchased prime beach area in Cavelossim even though the village and panchayat say they do not want another five-star hotel in their midst. At Baga, huge illegal constructions         put up at La Calypso, had to be finally demolished because of court orders. The owner of La Calypso is from Delhi. Who allowed him to build and exploit the illegal structures for years? The answer is blowing in the wind.

So it is time we scrapped the pretence of having become an independent State in 1987. We were ruled from New Delhi from 1961-1987. After 1987, our new landlords are also coming from Delhi while 12,000 Goans have acquired Portuguese passports.

As Alfred E. Neuman from MAD magazine used to say in my kid days in the mid 1960s: "Something funny is going on here!"

Sr. Mary Jane -- Remembering the messiah of prisoners at Aguada jail

By Gerard Delaney

 delaney.gerard@gmail.com

Sr. Mary Jane

Sr. Mary Jane Pinto SFN passed away on April 20, 2016 morning after a brief illness. Her

contribution to help the social rehabilitation of

prisoners, through counselling and vocational

awareness, has been widely appreciated (including by the Goa chief minister, in a condolence note). She was noted for her work in the Prison Ministry and was awarded in 2014. A close associate, educationist Gerard Delaney, pays tribute to the nun he worked with.

 Hailing from the same village as me, Sr. Mary Jan was known t me for a long, long time, but only as a nun, not as a person. Four years back, when I retired from service, I joined the Prison Ministry when another fellow villager David Fernandes

inited me to do so. That's when I began coming

 into close contact with her.

            Sr. Jane would set out of her convent in Sancoale at 6 a.m.

            and walk to the road a half kilometer away with a prayer on

             her lips, asking the Lord for a lift. She would accept

             whatever He provided her at that early hour when there was

            hardly any sign of traffic on the road. One lift after

             another, and maybe yet another, and she would reach her

             locked house in Saligao to tidy up a bit or to water her

            beloved plants.

 It was from there that I and sometimes another volunteer had

 the privilege to pick her up and take her to the Aguada

 Central Jail in the comfort of a car. But often, it would be

 a two wheeler on which she travelled, even in her advanced

 age. It must be noted to her great credit that years earlier,

 she would take lifts right up to Sinquerim and then walk all

 the way uphill to the jail in Aguada. An hour later, she

 would walk back there and take buses to go home to Sancoale.

 I was very fortunate to have served as an 'apprentice' under

 her, because I got to learn from her what the real spirit of

 a volunteer in this work must consist of.

           The moment we entered the jail premises, the

           convicts would be running up to her, and she would

           greet each one by name, making personal inquiries.

           She would ask one how he was faring with his bout

           of piles, another about his swollen leg, yet

           another about his diet, and so on. She would

           jokingly smack one on the head for being

           disobedient to her or pinch another on his arm for

           some other reason and it didn't take me long to

           discover that the former Mother Superior of her

           religious order (the Congregation of the Holy

           Family of Nazareth) was a real mother to the 120

           odd convicts over there! They loved her for what

           she did for them, and for what she meant to them.

  It was so impressive to see the way she would be so concerned

 about each one who came to meet her for one reason or the

 other. She genuinely took a deep interest in their welfare

 and would extend a helping hand in whatever way she could.

             I recall the time when the jail authorities brought to her

            notice the sad plight of a prisoner M----. He was serving a

             life sentence and had already spent 10 years behind bars, but

            had never come out on parole because he had no one to stand

            surety for him. As per rule, unless a lifer comes out on

             parole and proves that he can successfully go back to

             society, he cannot be released prematurely after the

            mandatory lockup of 14 years.

 Time was running out for M---- and at this rate he would

 remain behind bars all his life. That's when Sr. Jane

 informed Fr. Maverick the Director of Caritas, who stood

 surety for him and took him to Old Goa to stay at their

 Centre there. This was the start of a parade of convicts who

 got the opportunity to come out on parole at regular

 intervals and to stay in Old Goa.

             Likewise, another lifer, K---- was taken to Old Goa after

             being locked for 10 years, even though he had his home in

             Mayem with his wife and three children. Inquiries revealed

             that his wife was estranged with him. Sr. Jane asked me to

             take her there and we found his house with some difficulty.

 Fortunately his younger daughter aged 12 years was at home

 because it was a holiday for her school. Sr. Jane asked her

 if she remembered her father, which of course, she did not.

 She then asked her if she'd like to meet him and the little

 girl jumped with joy! After exchanging phone numbers and

 giving her some advice, we left.

Two days later there was a very emotional and tearful reunion

 at Old Goa of the father with his family, thanks to Sister.

             I remember the incident of another lifer who had his wife in

            Bicholim, who never came to visit him. Even when Fr. Maverick

            had brought this guy to Old Goa on parole, she would not come

             there. That's when Sr. Jane and I visited her and found her

            struggling to eke out a living in the market. Unfortunately,

            no amount of imploring or beseeching would make her budge as

             we realized that the wife had severed all ties with her

             husband.

 I have heard of several other accounts of Sr. Jane going out

 of her way to patch up differences between a convict and his

 family, of times when she has come to the rescue of the

 children who were as good as orphaned, or even financially

 helping the grown up children of the convict to finish their

 studies, or repair their home.

 She was truly an angel in disguise.

             Sr. Jane never let past an opportunity to knock some sense

             into the heads of the prisoners. Every time when there was a

            function in the jail and all the prisoners were gathered in

             the hall, she would give them a good encouraging sermon on

             love, forgiveness and acceptance.

 Under her guidance and leadership, so many reforms were

 introduced in the jail, about which articles have been

 written in the newspapers, and for which she has been rightly

 honored by the state and national authorities.

             Thanks to her, the convicts got to sell their handiworks to

             the public and were able to earn and save up. The last image

             which I remember of Sr. Jane is that of her invariably

             carrying a parcel to the jail with little knick knacks for

             the convicts -- prayer books, story books, rosaries, bibles, etc.

Undoubtedly, Sr. Mary Jane brought a bright touch

of compassion, love and sense of purpose in the

inmates' lives. She has been a love bomb which

exploded not to kill, but to heal broken lives!

Thanks to her and her team of volunteers, the

 prisoners have hope to live for, their dignity

restored and balm applied to their depression,

violence, hatred and anger. Adieus Sr. Jane, mother

 to the convicts and healer of their souls. No doubt

 but Jesus must have said to you: "Well done thou

 good and faithful servant, now enter into the

 kingdom specially prepared for you."

 Brief profile

 Sr. Mary Jane (75), née Rita Pinto, was twice Mother General

 of Holy Family of Nazareth Congregation of Sancoale. She was

 born in Arusha, Kenya, Africa, on May 7, 1941. Headmistress

 of Perpetual Succour Convent High School-Navelim in 1969 and

 remained in that post till 1984. Here she did yeoman service

 in education. She was then elected Superior General from May

 1984 and held the office till 1996, that is, for two terms.

 Besides overseeing the opening of about 14 houses in Goa and

 beyond during her tenure as Mother General (Haryana, Dadra

 and Nagar Haveli, Gujarat, Miraj, Korgao in Pernem and

 Kholapur Wattangi among others), she sent her nuns to

 undertake social work at the red light area of Baina (Vasco)

 and amidst the slums of Birla. She founded a clinic at the

 slum/red light region of Khareband, Margao. Journalist Paul

 Fernandes once wrote: "Sister Mary Jane Pinto has a deep

 fascination for the poor and the oppressed. Even as a child

 of five in Africa, she followed a beggar without limbs in a

 wheelchair. It was a bad experience then as she got lost. But

 in later years she was to realise that she had an instinctive

 affinity for the needy and the unfortunate. It was, and

 still is, a driving force to wipe their tears that propelled

 her at the age of 15 to become a nun." She is the aunt of

 Goanet founder and chair Dr Herman Carneiro.

Impotent BJP government gives in to the demands of militant tourist taxi operators.

Year after year the tourist taxi operators hold the tourism industry to ransom by keeping their vehicles off the roads which is called ‘bandh’ or refusing to ply their vehicles thereby causing inconvenience to the tourists and general public at large. They do not stop just at this; these operators who are a militant lot; stop and threaten others in similar trade if they ply their vehicles.

The BJP government in Goa led by Laxmikant Parsekar initially flexed his muscles and imposed Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA) but a day and a half later lost his spine and meekly gave in to the demands of the militant lot. It is an open secret that the CM cannot take any decision without consulting his High Command and that is Defence minister! God only can save this country.

This call for bandh all over the country is nothing new to the State, it has become a bi-annual event. However this time round their demand was that the government should cancel the permission issued to rent-a-cab, de-recognize black and yellow taxi operators and private operators. This is completely absurd, unrealistic demands which would create monopoly situation for them. How can government even consider their demands wherein they will the sole operators.

Tourist Taxi Operators -- a militant lot.

Instead of welcoming competition which is healthy in any sector, tourist taxi operator want to have total control over the private taxi business so that they can dictate terms to the government. This is not at all acceptable as a day might come where the general public would be their mercy.

Now coming to the scene in Goa, commencement of every tourist season these operators call for flash strikes, stop buses chartered by tour operators while ferrying tourists, refuse hotels to allow guests to use their vehicles, refuse family members from collecting and dropping their relatives to the hotels.

This is totally absurdity as the tourist should have a right to choose their mode of transport, they have to have a choice and the tourist taxi operators cannot impose upon the tourists to hire their vehicles exclusively. Restricting the movement of tourists or guests to choose their mode of transportation would mean curtailing the freedom of the tourist.

Successive governments till date have been using kids gloves to deal with the errant delinquents and over the period of time the tourist taxi operators have become criminally boisterous. This time round the BJP government at the Centre and State imposed Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA), inspite of that the tourist taxi operators went ahead with their strike. It only meant ‘dadagiri’. It was felt that Parsekar led BJP government in the state would come down heavily on the protesting operators and cancel their permits and badges to drive public vehicles for life. 

But this lame duck, impotent BJP government which is infamous for its u-turns was cozying-up to the militant lot of tourist taxi operators promising them of setting-up of committee to look into their demands and assuring them to clamp down on rent-a-car operators. And in exchange the BJP were begging for the votes from their families en-masse for the 2017 elections. It is widely known that the BJP is going to lose the elections badly and hence the tourist taxi operators could dictate terms to this impotent BJP government.

CM Laxmikant Parsekar of the impotent BJP govt.
bending backwards to accommodate taxi operators

This was the right opportunity for the government to strike and strictly enforce the agreement which the operators have submitted to the Rural Transport Office (RTO) stating that they would operate their vehicle from their residences only. They should be banned from making the entrances of hotels as their vehicle stand. They should be informed in no uncertain terms that they either operate from their home on call basis system or look for other avenues of employment. And most importantly it is high time that the government should make it mandatory for tourist taxi operators to install meters and compulsorily have a government approved rate chart to be in the vehicles at all times which should be produced on demand.

If these tourist taxi operators cannot adhere to these conditions then the government should show no mercy and revoke their permits and badges.

We should not lose the sight of the fact that these tourist taxi operators are one of the prime reasons for the dip in tourist coming to Goa. They not only exhort or fleece the tourists but also abuse them. The operators fail to understand that tourist come relax, have a peace of mind and not to be cheated and abused.

Inconvenienced tourists lugging it away.

Calangute and Benaulim MLAs Michael Lobo and Caitu Silva threw in their lots with the tourist taxi operators as both the constituencies are in coastal belt and has a sizeable vote bank. Lobo has roots in the tourism sector, though he knows that the operators are in the wrong but like all politicians he wants attract their votes.

But for Benaulim MLA his innings in politics are over. He got elected in 2012 just because voters wanted to get rid of Alemao clan and hence blindly cast their franchise in his favour even though he was insignificant candidate. Though he supported the BJP government there too he is of no consequence. And if he at all contests the same seat again he might even lose his deposit. So knowingly that he is drowning in the whirlpool of politics he is trying to catch at straws i.e. the tourist taxi operator votes but he will not survive.

Finally if the BJP government gives in to the demands of the tourist taxi operators then it will be final nail in the Goa tourism coffin.

Kismur

Requirements:-

Fine dried shrimps with shell

Grated coconut

Onion

Green chillies

Preparation:-

Remove the dried heads and rear fins of the shrimps

Chop onion fine and long

Chop green chillies to a size of ½ inches.

Salt

Use little coconut oil (preferably) to fry the grated coconut in a deep pan. When it is brown and starts releasing oil drop chopped green chillies so that it spiciness spreads to the coconut and then drop chopped onions. Add salt. Toss it in the pan till they are saunted and then drop shrimps and stir them till grated coconut, onion is golden brown.

Can Goa Forward save Goa with schemers and same actors?

With the BJP not delivering all that they had promised in the 2012 Assembly election manifesto and plenty of U-turns, the Congress continuing with its bickering within its party veterans with nothing to show in new faces, NCP too has nothing to show besides press conferences and AAP continuing with its activism and yet to take off, a vacuum has been formed for the ensuing 2017 general election.

Goa Legislative Assembly Complex

The newly formed Goa Forward Party eagerly wants to fill this vaccum. However it seems to be lost in the quagmire of political scenario in Goa. Not that the force behind this fledgling party is a novice to politics or machinations of politicking, infact it would not be off the target to state that Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardessai is a master on the political chess board.

But in the current scenario, marriage of convenience is being sought in the name of ‘unity’ of all opposing parties and individuals against the BJP looks to be a little unrealistic moreso because we are in the election year and every politician or political party worth its salt wants its pound of power.

Recently Fatorda MLA latching on to the former legislator and quick witted lawyer and also presidium member of the now defunct political party UGDP has sent wrong signals to the people. 

Vijay Sardessai - King in the waiting

It has sent wrong signals because it is legendary that advocate Radharao Gracias has trust deficit with the Congress, GVP supremo and former UGDP legislator Mickky Pacheco has trust deficit in Gracias. Babush Monserrate has a good equation with Radharao because of different reasons but it is not that former is not wary of him. It is Babush’s nature to be wary of everybody. And the witty lawyer pairing up with Vijay who has been a Congressman from the beginning does not send very positive vibes.

It is an open secret that Gracias-Vijay association goes back more than a decade back when Babush Monserrate won on the UGDP ticket, was made a minister in the BJP led government and then aligned with the Congress to topple Manohar Parrikar led government. Basically the witty lawyer and Fatorda MLA were in the thick of things analysing the pros and cons and advising the Taleigao strongman on political strategies then.

In fact when the Taleigao strongman was the Town and Country Planning minister it was strongly rumoured that Gracias was the architect of draconian Regional Plan 2011, which sought to change the entire skyline of Goa with concrete structures, which gave birth to Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA).

Adv. Radharao Gracias

Secondly, advocate Gracias’ one liners and barbs has long lasting effect on the political friends, foes and associates. Hence basically no political parties and politician alike tend to trust him.

Thirdly the same individual had gone to town saying that Congress is a family party and if Congress were defeated in 2012 elections it is because the voters said no to family raj politics. but the general public very well that the demise of the regional party United Goan Democratic Party is also because of the same reason as it was run by family members or rather brother-in-laws. So in a sense functioning of UGDP party was not much different from that of the Congress. While UGDP never really flourished or prospered under the family settings similarly Congressmen under Digambar Kamat  led government thrived and prospered.

And now with former TCP minister of the infamous regional plan 2011 Babush Monserrate alleged takeover over the reins of the now obsolete outfit UGDP, it is going to be one man show.

St. Cruz MLA Babush Monserrate

Fourthly what confuses the voters is the strange stand that the famous brother-in-laws take on public issues. It is generally opposite. Can we forget that advocate Gracias always supports English as one of the medium of instruction (MoI) in schools while the other supports mother tongue? They have always dabbled in this game of playing with the sentiments of the public and kept themselves afloat somehow. But the public have become wise to these gimmicks and had made one of the brother-in-laws get down from the dais when he tried to speak at a election meeting at Cuncolim in 2012.

Then comes Prashant Naik another staunch believer of regional party, former member of UGDP and strong proponent of mother tongue as the only MoI for primary education and also BBSM backer. But since the formation of Goa Forward party he has jumped on to its bandwagon and likely to be its candidate for 2017 general Assembly elections.

He was seen in the company of his party president Prabhakar Timble who categorically announced that parents should have a right to choose the medium of instruction for their wards. Prashant from the core of his soul might not agree with his president but to win Assembly elections, individuals will not only shed their political affiliations but also their ideology.

Vijay Sardessai seems to be a man in a tearing hurry at the same time nervous that his efforts of being the king after 2017 elections may not fructify. Undoubtedly Vijay wants to be in the driver’s chair with all political parties national as well as regional and also individuals agreeing to his dictum. And if at all the gamble plays off he will naturally has a chance to bag the top job in the government formation in 2017. One cannot deny that independent Fatorda MLA has been the most vociferous opposition for the BJP government.

Amche Goem - What will be its fate?

But the general public and voters tend to have a different perspective and opinions when laying their trust in one person. We have already had a bad experience in blindly trusting Manohar Parrikar. Leaving aside allegations that Sardessai has sold Goa’s land to outsiders, not that there is bar on it but a small percentage of people are still emotional about it. Owners might not think twice about selling their land to outsiders but when legislators do it, it has a different connotation, implication and undertone. Hence the people’s imagination is that it is not about taking Goa Forward but grabbing the power. And also the fear of RP 2011 being re-introduced with different packaging with the same actors coming together.

As of now the entire gambit of ‘promoters’ of Goa Forward seems to be embroiled in ‘kichdi’. What it means is that ‘get one, get all and get everybody’ under their wings or rather under their scheme of things to ensure victory for Goa Forward party wins majority at the 2017 elections hustings.  

But the question is can the new party with same old actors save Goa – which has been gang-raped by the Congress and sold to the highest bidder by the BJP. When deciding to vote for Goa Forward party we should not lose sight of schemers, planners of RP 2011which if implemented would obliterate Goa even now.  

Semolina (Rava) fried shrimps

Requirements:-

1/2kg shrimps

1/4kg Semolina

Pepper and turmeric powder

Fresh coriander leaves.

Preparation

De-shell the shrimps, wash and add salt.

After 10 mins. drain the excess water from the shrimps

Add pepper powder for spice and turmeric for colour. Dab the shrimps into semolina.

Deep fry till yellowish/golden.

Present it with coriander leaves.

Can be used as snack or accompaniment with main course.

Recipe for jungle raj -- By Cleofato Almeida Coutinho

Adv. Cleofato A Coutinho

The great American comedian, singer, dancer, athlete and author Bob Hope had provided a new category of freedom ‘freedom from humbug’. The relevance of that freedom can be seen in India in the past few weeks. The central government dismissed the popularly elected governments in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We are immediately told that Indira Gandhi used Article 356 to dismiss elected governments indiscriminately  and the Congress   turns around and tell us that it was a Janata government that dismissed nine state assemblies with the stroke of a pen in 1977.

Those who find nothing wrong with the imposition of president’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand claim that the Congress party failed to settle its internal disputes. That is also partly correct. But  the government went overboard in felling the popularly elected governments. In the case of Arunachal Pradesh the government chose the Republic day to promulgate the presidents rule to neutralize the challenge in the Supreme Court which was hearing whether Governor could issue directions to the speaker. In Uttarakhand the presidents rule came a day prior to floor test ordered by the Governor.  The party with a difference claims that it has no role in both the states. We require that ‘freedom from humbug’ proclaimed by Bob Hope.

The Arunachal Governor found cow as in the  law and order breakdown. The Uttarakhand president’s rule is based upon talk of horse trading caught in a sting operation. In both the cases there were splits in the Congress legislature parties. but the point is ‘split’ has been done away with and even if you have a 1/3^rd splinter group, can be no defiance of the party  line

The  Bommai Judgement had to a large extent attempted to bring in some sanity into the central governments misuse of Article 356. Hard cases make bad law. In 1998 the Supreme Court ordered something called composite floor test where Kalyan Singh and Jagdambika Pal sat on either side of the speaker. That was  a novel way of choosing a chief minister. At that time the BJP hailed the floor test but now, it sent the attorney general to Nainital to challenge the High court order which was actually adhering to the letter and spirit of the Bommai Judgement. If the Uttarakhand High Court had passed a unprecedented order of floor test even when the President rule was on, it was to deal with and extra ordinary situation. Whatever  the outcome of the division bench hearing which has stayed the floor test order and  the challenge of imposition of Presidential rule before the Supreme Court, it is very clear that after more than 65 years of democracy poaching as a strategy to grab power remains.

The record of the ‘party with the difference’ on the tolerance to opposition party government in states is dismal.  In February 1999 at a time when Atal Behari Vajpayee was out of the country, then Home minister L.K. Advani chaired the central cabinet to impose President rule in Bihar making a BJP veteran with RSS back ground take over the state of Bihar on the ground of what  was referred to as the jungle raj. but the President’s rule turned out to be a misadventure due to lack of numbers in Rajya sabha. The President’s rule had to be revoked. Rabri Devi was back as the chief minister. The government is also ready for such misadventure as it does not have majority in the upper house. In case the President's rule is not ratified by both the houses it shall cease to operate. Harish Rawat may have to be back as the Chief Minister unless an alternate government is placed in office before the Parliament recess like what they did in the Arunachal Pradesh.

At the heart of the controversy is the anti defection law and the authority of the speaker to adjudicate on the defection. There can be little doubt that Harish Rawat lost support of 9 but 9 is not even 1/3^rd of 36. It may be said that the Speaker acted undue haste  to disqualify the 9 rebel legislators. Similarly the Arunachal Pradesh speaker is accused of reducing the strength of the house through disqualification. But speakers have always got embroiled in the allegations of cobbling up majority for the chief minister.  

There was a time when the speakers major job under the anti defection law was to decide whether the breakaway fraction is 1/3^rd. Even the Supreme Court has not been in a position to clear the air over the issue. In Goa Shankar Bandekar and Ratnakar Chopdekar from the MGP were disqualified for revolting against Ramakant Khalap but Ravi Naik from the same group escaped disqualification on the ground that he was not given proper notice (he was in GMC!). There was no consensus even in the Supreme Court whether 12 MLAs of the 67 BSP MLAs crossed over to Kalyan Singh in UP amounted to disqualification.  

The anti defection law become a remedy worse than the disease.Since we have accepted anti defection law to be part of our constitutional scheme and despite the behaviour of the speakers in taking partisan stands no corrective measures have been taken.  BJP cannot be heard on complaint that the speakers have been acting in a partisan manner. Is it prepared to divest the speaker of that power?

It was felt that with the massive majority the party with the difference would govern the country with morality  and ethics but the desire for ‘Congress mukt Bharat’ has made it return to political skullduggery. Their predatory tendencies at poaching is showing the jungle raj instinct. The nation wants ‘freedom from humbug’