Grandma's sausage dish

(Un)covering the Political in the Politics in Goa -- Fr. Victor Ferrao

Fr. Victor Ferrao

The political scenario is heating up day by day in Goa.  The keys of ignition are in place and the buttons seem to have been pressed on for the grand unfolding of the political drama. While the politics in the political drama is going to be chaotic and polyphonic, it would be interesting to discern the political in our politics. This quest to understand the political in the politics at play in our society is very important to understand and respond to the same. Some among us might trace the political in the out stationed national leaders who keep crash landing in Goa to catalyse, stimulate/ manipulate our Goan people. Others may find the political in the way local leaders mask their manipulative intent by hiding under the mask of the grand national leaders and claim legitimacy of their decisions by assigning their origin to Delhi (high command hiding self command). Still others may say that the caste or religion is the political that energizes our politics. Therefore, we do not caste our vote but end up voting our caste and religion.  This means the diverse sources of our selves like our caste, culture, regionality (north/south or our Goan-ness itself )  and even our hopes, fears, and aspirations form the political that engineers the political drama that is being enacted in our society in Goa. All this means that the political hides under the cover of politics that  it creates and sanctions. Hence, the (un)covering of the political that animates the politics of each party is very important because it politicizes our society. The identification of the political that politicizes each one of us is important so that we become active and enlightened citizens.

  

Politics is complex, plural, dynamic and fluid and is not easily determinable yet the understanding of its dynamics will assist us to become mindful and not mindless Goans. We have not yet reached a discussive totality both in India and Goa and hence, the political will always remain plural and keep politicizing us all the time.  That is why it would be important that we become watchful. Political scientists have abstracted the political in the process of asignification that generates and fires an ‘us and them’ division.  The dynamics of signification results in the removal or squeezing of the meaning or content from the local and singular person or states of affairs.  What we call asignification or the generation of a loss of meaning or content is indeed a manufacturing of new content that becomes sufficiently universal and converts the individual person or state of affairs as a master signifier.  A master signifier is an empty signifier/symbol that has no core content but draws is content from outside of itself. Thus, for instance, PM Modi or

A. Kejriwal have emerged as leaders through asignification that triggered a new ‘us and them’ division on the national scene though in different ways.  We can clearly discern in both these instances, the local and individual content of their personalities is squeezed out and they have become master signifiers, one  posing as an ‘Hindutva’ icon of development while the other  standing as a crusader of anti-corruption.   Thus, the asignification (loss of meaning) as well as resignification (acquiring of new meaning) in both cases continues to politicize us and feeds the ‘us and them’ divisions.

We have manifested the dynamics of the political in the politics in the analysis of asignification and generation of new ‘us and them’ divisions. But our task is not over.  We have to attentively do the same in the complex contexts of the states of affairs that become raw materials to generate the political for the political master players (manipulators) in our society. It is in this context, castes, religions, cultures, hopes, fears and aspirations of our people become the resource for the designer politics to prey upon.  The dynamics of asignification, for instance, in the case of national parties like the BJP puts an erasure on every on aspects of a being Indian and creates a narrow majoritarian ‘Hindutva’ politics. The loss of content in this case is clear when we see that every Hindu is Human, Indian, Goan, and more.

The primacy of being Hindu provides the narrative content to the ‘Hindutva’ politics. Congress on the other hand has undergone an asignification of it plural and secular image and come to acquire corruption as the chief anchor of its politics.  Reeling under the new political (Corruption) Congress seems to have lost its narrative and is unable to resignify itself (acquires new image content). Thus, we can see how different states of affairs are crafted to fire politics that politicizes our society.  That is why the discernment of the politics becomes urgent and important to respond mindfully and not mindlessly to the poli-tricking of the political drama that is enacted in our society.

Our quest for the political in ‘the politrical scenario’ in Goa becomes very important because we are in an election year. To decode the plural political that is at play in Goa, we will have to discern the various processes and dynamics of asignification and re-signification that generate divisive ‘us and them’ in our fragile society.  The divisive politics of BJP cancels, abrogates, keeps under erasure our Goaness (and more) and we end up voting for our religion pulled by the primacy of Hinduism. The entry of the AAP and Goa Forward on the political horizon has opened up the primacy of issue of corruption and the issues of Goa respectively and opened new ‘us and thems’ in our society. 

An ascription as well as acquiring of corruption image of both Congress and BJP has inscribed new meaning/content  into the MGP, AAP and Goa Forward and they have begun to look viable options for Goans.  This shows that the political emerges through an engineered craftsmanship vis-à-vis the political craft played by other political players. Designing of the political that is at play into the politics  in Goa does not only rests with the political parties and their think thanks. NGO’s, RSS, activist groups, BBSM,  CSJP etc., all play an important role.  Although there is no level playing field in the making of the political in Goa, It is important that we Goans become mindful lest we mindlessly vote our ‘caste’ of different hues instead of casting our vote in the upcoming election 2017.  

 

MGP does not have Goa’s interest at heart, keep it at bay during 2017 Assembly Elections -- By Nisser Dias

Immediately after Liberation of Goa from the erstwhile Portuguese rule, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) was given the mandate to govern our beloved State of Goa. What was their agenda then? To merge Goa with Maharashtra. Goans at that time turned the tide against the MGP through the historical Opinion Poll.

Thereafter, MGP’s votebank had eroded to almost nil, but the disenchantment with the Congress, BJP there has been a steady gain in the votebank of the party whose name itself suggests that their ideology does not allow them to see Goa as a different identity from the rest of the country. They somehow want Goans to follow Maharashtra culture. They have even gone to the extent of forcing the current BJP government to give Marathi language official status.

Dayanand Bandodkar

To a large extent Goa could understand our first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar for trying to merge Goa with its larger neighbour, maybe his intentions were faster development of Goa, to give him benefit of doubt maybe he did not think of issues like our identity, culture, language and our western influence and outlook.

All these issues or rather the uniqueness of Goa and Goans came to the fore during the Opinion Poll which was demanded and led by our unforgettable and legendary hero Jack Sequeira.

Of course, with their defeat at the referendum, they have still not given up their agenda. When given an opportunity by the Progressive Democratic Front government led by Churchill Alemao and then by late Dr. Proto Barbosa with Shashikala Kakodkar of the MGP as Education minister made a mess of the  Medium of Instruction that we are still suffering.

Shashikala Kakodkar

Over the years MGP has steadily re-created its vote-bank to the extent that die-hard Marathi lovers who fooled us with the pseudo façade of being Konkani protagonists to gain popularity in public are now in forefront screaming from the rooftops to support them in their last ditch effort.

There is lot of noise of MGP increasing its vote-share during the 2017 assembly election. This is largely because the mainstream national parties have not been able to meet the aspirations of the Goans and hence are disenchanted with them.

The regional parties that only bloom during the elections also do not have individuals with credibility but MGP took their tally from two to three in the 2012 elections and now want to increase it so much so as to either form a government of their own or to gain as much leverage to catapult Sudin Dhavlikar as the chief minister.

We Goans shedding our caste, creed and importantly religion at no cost should allow this to happen because of various factors. Firstly, Sudin for the last ten years have been a minister. When Congress was in power he was a Transport minister. In 2012, he knew Congress was losing and forged an alliance with the BJP and called Congress a corrupt party. The BJP came to power and he saw to it that he cornered the PWD and Transport portfolios. He also got his brother a ministry. Now since BJP is on a sticky wicket he is flexing his muscles.

Conducting rituals in western clothes

As a minister in the BJP government he made several controversial sexist comments and got away with it besides supporting Marathi as the official language.

Sudin has got his children educated in private English school but is a strong supporter of denying financial aid to aided schools (basically Missionaries schools or schools run by Diocesan Society of Education). He wants to ban wearing bikinis and swimming costumes on the beach even though Goa is a tourist destination. He wants women in Goa to wear only sarees and salwar kameez and wants a total ban on girls wearing jeans and short skirts. If this is not moral policing what is?

That’s not all he had the gall to ask Portuguese PM Antonio Costa with Goan roots to apologize for the four and a half decades of Portuguese rule in the State. If that is so then we should ask Sudin to quit Goa and permanently settle in Maharashtra for being a part of the party that want to merge Goa with Maharashtra and now he wants to be the chief minister of Goa.  Can we have a man with such a narrow mindset to  govern us?

Sudin Dhavlikar is a strong supporter and benefactor of Hindu right wing group Sanathan Sanstha having its headquarter in Ramnathi in Ponda, infact his wife Lata is the director of the outfit in Goa. Lata Dhavlikar is also on record urging parents not to send their children to convent schools, is this not a communal statement?

And can we forget that members of Sanathan Sanstha allegedly tried to bomb their own Hindu brethren for participating in the ‘Narkasur’ revelry some years back and themselves lost their lives in the bargain.

Blast at Margao by Sanathan Sanstha

Can we forget communal rabid Pramod Muthalik who is closely associated with Sanathan Sanstha ranting about our Goan culture which he said was influenced by the West and wanted to change it. Can we forget that his Muthalik’s Sri Ram Sene and Sanathan Saunstha brigade tried to stop ‘tiatr’ being held in Margao.

The BJP had rightly banned this fundamentalist Pramod Muthalik from entering and opening a branch of his organisation in Goa but if MGP comes to power in the state with Sudin Dhavikar as its head honcho of the government, he and his wife along with MGP with open arms will lay the red carpet for the entry of Pramod Muthalik in Goa.

Communal rabid Muthalik

Goans have to seriously introspect and keep MGP not only out of governance but also reduce it to non-entity and gradually lead it to its demise otherwise it is just going to be opposite.

For the 2017 Assembly election we have an option be it Goa Forward or Aam Admi Party besides the time tested political parties. Some might have reservations about Goa Forward and AAP but no political party is expected to get cent per cent vote share. Some might not like one party’s ideology or their functioning, others may not like the individuals heading the party, the inner differences and conflicts are bound to come to the fore in one’s mind but one cannot lose sight of the fact that we have a choice to vote for.

Yes, please do cast your vote but please to remember the harm Congress has done to Goa, the destruction that the BJP is doing in the name of continuous governance of which MGP is a part and parcel and think of the devastation that MGP will do if it is given an opportunity to govern the State of Goa.

 

MANOHAR PARRIKAR A NON-PEFORMER – By Nisser Dias

From the beginning I have been a big critic of the man called Manohar Parrikar. He was termed as great administrator and an intelligent person, but his arrogance and ‘know it all’ attitude always preceded him.

In 2002 and 2004 he flabbergasted everybody by building some bridges and giving out doles. But where he failed miserably was to bring about a systematic change in the functioning of the government or rather governance.

In 2012 Manohar Parrikar was given another mandate by Goans to right the wrong of the Congress, however he was an utter disappointment. He did U-turns of his own party’s manifesto just to be in power.

When he realized he had failed Goans, he ran off to Delhi as a Defence Minister where his failure is personified.

One cannot trust this man to administrate the State if we want to keep Goa for Goans. READ ON….

Only Photo-ops

Manohar Parrikar father of U-turns…..

1. Rs.11 lakhs squandered on that pompous swearing-in ceremony on SAG grounds at Campal on 9th March 2012.

2. His sudden surrender to the mining lobby, after consistently exposing illegal mining as Opposition Leader for seven years.

3. Promised was a new Agricultural policy to make agriculture a more rewarding effort but all that we witness today is the continued sight of fields and hills being converted to concrete jungles.

4.Regional Plan was supposed to be finalised but 4 years down the line it is still undergoing scrutiny to enable builders to erect concrete jungles.

5. Promised to ensure regular, uninterrupted power supply the BJP had promised that the whole of Goa would have underground cabling in five years it is still a dream.

6. Promised to make Goa plastic-free in three years, infact plastic has increased.

7. Promise that a garbage management system would be in place in 18 months is still a distant dream

8. Contrary to the 2012 assurance, the six-lane Zuari Bridge has not been a priority instead third bridge over River Mandovi was undertaken.

9. Promised Special Status but has done nothing to control the alarming and unacceptable levels of migration into Goa.

10. The promise to get rid of the Casinos from the River Mandovi was another cruel joke.

11.Wasteful expenditure of Ministers and MLAs on unnecessary travel, but the current Ministers and MLAs have been jetting around while draining an already depleted exchequer.

Check his abysmal records as Defence Minister of the Country.

 

 

 

 

The need of the hour is good honest governance Mr. Kejriwal! -- By Dinar Barros

Dinar L Barros

After attending a couple of corner meetings on invitations by the AAP cadres , including one addressed by Shri Arvind Kejriwal, it was evident after listening, that most Goemkars are bleeding. Bleeding profusely from the wounds inflicted by the powers that be. And the pain and anguish is such that they are in a mighty hurry to smash the guts out of the present "sitting forty ". This was expressed by most including the AAP prospective candidates. Though these outbursts are evident of the depth of the wounds, Goans but naturally are in a quandary and are at a loss to put forth their aspirations to the Delhi based regional party. On the other hand, AAP, apparently cashing in on this weakness, is clear on its electoral aspirations. Use the' broom' to unseat the forty. And this appears to be the poll plank for the AAP campaign.

We Goans will not bend down to hold the short, used broom. Used may be by the powers that be. Going back in time, we used the hand of the Congress to throttle the roar of the MGP lion. Then with the beaming lotus of the BJP held high with hope, we managed to outshine the mucky hand of corruption. Remember it is thanks to that thick layer of muck that the lotus from the village of Parra pond stood tall as a sign of good hope and purity. Later on, that very lotus from Parra literally ditched the Goans by showing preferences for the Delhi waters; but not before stopping mining.. The zero in the much promised "zero tolerance to corruption" has been replaced by a digit or two. And the zero has been moved after the decimal point! And now with the turbulent waters and added to it the under currents in most of the ponds in Goa, the lotus grapples. Concurrently alongside AAP corner meetings or dialogues venues, freebies are offered in the form of coconut saplings etc. obviously to divert the villagers from attending the same.cThis proves that AAP is a force to reckon with for the now jittery MLAs.

We need good governance to weed out corruption. When mining and real estate, whether legal or illegal has done irreversible damage to Goa and most Goans, the AAP brand ambassador Arvind Kejriwal is adamant to increase the cap, legally, and that it would be world class; albeit the much spoken "Goa dialogues" ! The need of the hour is world class governance Mr. Kejriwal.

Land reforms are required of the kind that will ensure affordable land for the Goan  and not just Regional plans with inflated settlement zones emerging as it appears from the drawing boards of the real estate operatives . The term 'land development' is demeaning to the very ethos of our rich Goan culture.

Land agents have cropped up in both the organized and the unorganized sectors. There are land agents among the AAP cadres, a land agent in almost every elected representative, a land agent in Sonia Gandhi's emissaries, in professionals, a land agent in the Communidade, a land agent in the nearby Govt. office. Add to it the property expos. The time is short when a tsunami of MNCs will wipe away all that remains of pristine Goa after the Mopa airport is fully operational. The rich Goan land has been turned into a commodity. Can a common Goemkar afford to buy a small piece of land to build a decent dwelling? We need a Government that will ensure affordable land for the Goemkars.

The identity of a Goemkar in a demographic Goa is slowly but steadily getting smudged. We need a government that will identify a Goan not by the flimsy 15 years domicile but by tracing back to his or her ancestry.

Casino culture has been existing outside almost every tavern, at every ‘tinto’ or in the confines of a mansion after a lunch or dinner party. It may be in the form of ‘tablamcho khel’, matka, godgodo and the card games respectively. Being in the unorganized sector these games do not give revenue to the government unlike the licensed casino.  So why not the floating casinos?  Well any activity on a larger scale, as is the case with the floating casinos, is polluting when not monitored and an eye-sore to be seen in the pristine waters of our rivers. A casino should not be a money-laundering machine. These casinos could be floating in the high seas equipped with a functional sewage treatment plant and a helipad to airlift the gamer. But a floating casino will never be as destructive as the rampant mining or real estate operations.

The result of the  historic Opinion Poll, the milestone of a plebiscite in Goa's history, proved the very mettle of the united Goemkars. With clear foresight and determination we voted to retain the unique identity of Goa. Henceforth, in the same spirit, we Goans will treat every election to every elected body as an opinion poll and vote unitedly and decisively to retain our unique identity. And this will be our fundamental aspiration.

And let AAP get the message clear that just toppling is not the name of the game. ‘Goemkarancher topi ghalchi nuim’.

AAP needs to come clear on their policies for mining as well as Goa's fragile land.

Goa certainly requires a Government with a strong political will and a bureaucracy with commitment to achieve the desired results in meeting the aspirations of the Goans.

 

Dinar L Barros

Betalbatim

 

M: 9422059996

AAP in Goa -- Where is the local leadership? -- By Saturnino Rodrigues.

Saturnino Rodrigues

The bugle is blown on the threshold of yet another election in Goa, the political mathematicians are already in the drawing board with calculations and new formulas, new political equations are taking shape and things are on the anvil waiting to be struck. The small and big national and regional political parties those will affect the poll outcome have started displaying their power. Some recent past incidents have underlined the limitations of the major parties, giving rise to the scope of having an alternative to the BJP and Congress. And thus came the Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the political scenario of Goa as an alternative choice to the Goans, it is today mired with many scandals within.

Its portrayal of itself as crusader against corruption does not make much impact on the Goans as we have got more local issues that are plaguing Goa and its environment, not just fight against corruption.

With AAP’s High Command in Delhi like Congress, BJP and NCP, it cannot be called a local outfit that can suit Goan interests. According to the majority of Goans, there is no doubt in our minds that we need a local or a regional political party with its primary understanding of Goan issues that are closer to our hearts to safeguard the real Goenkarpon.

AAP has primarily stood on the platform of wiping out corruption riding piggyback on Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption. Today, Anna Hazare has openly shown his disappointment about Arvind Kejriwal which has rocked the AAP and has to be on the defensive.

AAP has to look deeper into the local issues affecting Goa if it wants to make a landmark. The Delhi model is in no way to be compared with Goa, it should not expect people simply will flock behind by projecting Delhi model. Goa has its unique problems which are not common in par with Delhi.

AAP has got to know and feel the real important issues where people suffer, it has been silent on all these major issues but busy in comparing Delhi with Goa, telling us how it came to power in Delhi. They should make efforts to study the socio-political fabric of Goa, Delhi cannot be compared in terms of infrastructure, geographical boundaries and the maturity of public in politics. We should be open to support a third front or a different political party to bring a change in Goa in 2017. There are growing anxieties about the increasing set of questions, doubts and confusion in the minds of the Goan people as to the nature of the agenda of AAP. It defies all prescriptions and definitions of what politics it wants to play in Goa. With its High Command in Delhi and not a single viable known or identified local leader in Goa for crusading Goan causes, the actual ‘aam admi’ in Goa does not see a cause in the eyes of the AAP.

The success of AAP in Delhi was an important factor motivated by the movement of Anna Hazare. In Goa, such a situation cannot happen, the present set of AAP leaders should acknowledge the veterans of Goa who have been crusaders against the wrong doings of the consecutive governments, saved the grace of the Goans by fighting against the destruction. AAP is on a leadership hunt but cannot see the good and proven activists who single handedly protected much of Goa from the destruction, it wants to build the party, fly banners but blind to acknowledge those who work and save the environment.

In Delhi, AAP itself is being allegedly embroiled with corruption, sexual abuse cases, the  barrage of allegations against the Aam Admi Party seem to have created a sense of doubt among Delhi and now Goan voters, whether the party that stormed into the political arena as ‘All Clean” is actually as clean as it projects itself.

AAP should make efforts to identify non-corrupt local leaders with proven records, those who can lead Goans and not those who need directions from the High Command in Delhi, it has to prove different from the Congress, BJP and NCP with a Goan outfit, local administration that can rule Goa without depending on the directions from Delhi. Kejriwal is a one man show and vesting too much power in one man can be too dictatorial. Another person who does the rounds in Goa within AAP circles is Pankaj Gupta, the National General Secretary of the party, was basically recruited by Kejriwal to generate funds and accelerate the momentum in Delhi. However, nothing moves in Goa without the approval of this man. AAP-Goa has failed to project its local leaders to Goans to let know who will lead us. They have been busy in putting up party banners and holding no meaningful ‘dharnas’, inserting huge newspaper advertisements of Kejriwal’s achievements in Delhi which has nothing to do with Goa. Important local issues are nowhere on the menu of the AAP or so far demonstrated seriously. Goans cannot simply bank on AAP and wait for Delhi miracle to happen in Goa.

AAP-Goa should be in a mood to know the pulse of the voters in the changing political scenario. In the present word to word whisper, 'AAP' gets preference among other political options but the percentage of those supporting AAP has reduced.

There is doubt in the mind of voters about its local leadership and selection of candidates. AAP should be able to identify and take onboard all activists who have been fighting for Goa for decades without political strings. If it thinks that they should not approach them, they are mistaken, they should rope in the best.

All the present political novices in AAP - Goa should understand that in the subsequent commotion of its party without strong leadership, the real issues of development and saving Goa will be forgotten. The stubbornness and myth that leaders will evolve will only be a dream. It is time for AAP to identify non-corrupt leaders and candidates with repute and not just speech writers or orators. It’s time for a change but a change that should start within by inducting leaders of calibre,  those who toiled the last decades in saving what is left of Goa. The people’s verdict will be final but not based on Delhi model.

The author works for a major global oil company as a Competency Assessor

Congress to referee unholy alliance between Churchill - Mickky or NCP? -- By Nisser Dias

Lots of permutations and combinations seem to be in play with the 2017 assembly elections a few months away. The call by the Congress for a grand alliance of secular political parties to keep communal parties away seems to have brought strange bedfellows together.

Political party bosses are keeping things close to their chest, but hint that so many things are happening, including meetings between leaders, that the situation at the moment is very fluid.

Sources in the Congress said that some party leaders have held talks with Nuvem MLA Francisco Pacheco alias 'Mickky' for an alliance with Goa Vikas Party. The GVP chief, at his end, has demanded three seats in exchange. Pacheco told that while lots of things are happening, he would not like to disclose anything at the moment. But, he acknowledged that he received feelers from the national party.

Sources said it is not clear whether Pacheco made the first move as his prospects under the GVP banner are far from bright in Nuvem.

Pacheco said, for an alliance, certain issues would have to be sorted out."In my election manifesto, I will promise to resolve issues like that of the medium of instruction (MoI), regional plan, mining and Mopa airport among others, which the Congress could not deliver to the people during their seven years in government. Parties should resolve what they promise in their manifesto. If this is agreeable to them, then we can go forward," he said and added, "The Congress has realized that they cannot do without me as certain constituencies are with me."

The GVP supremo has been on record saying the Congress has harassed him and continues to do so. Sources in the Congress revealed that Pacheco has demanded Benaulim, Nuvem and Cortalim constituencies for his party as the first two are already in his kitty, and he has developed quite a stronghold in the latter.

Congress, on the other hand, seems to have put a rider that GVP nominate Churchill Alemao to the Benaulim seat, a fact Pacheco did not deny when questioned. "Black is black, I cannot tell people that a crow is white," he said.

Sources in the Congress disclosed that with this move the party is sticking to its stance that persons chargesheeted will not be allotted party tickets, but, at the same time, is helping Churchill resurrect his political career through GVP by sacrificing their own interests. The former public works department (PWD) minister informed that at the moment he has decided to contest as an independent as there is no indication that Congress will give him a ticket and that he will disclose his plans only by September end.

The Nationalist Congress party (NCP) has approached Churchill Alemao to join the party so that it can nominate him from Benaulim, sources said.

The GVP chief has on many occasions made it clear that he might not allot a party ticket to his sitting MLA, Caetano D'Silva alias Caitu, who is also not keen on contesting on the GVP ticket given the strained relationship he shares with the party boss. Pacheco was interested in Maria Rebello as a party candidate, but she told that she has not committed to anyone on this matter.  Former sarpanch of Cavelossim Edwin Barreto was nominated by the local Congress block recently when the exercise was conducted across the state last month. When asked where this behind-the-scenes politics leaves him, he said, "At any cost, the party should give me the ticket as I can win the seat for the Congress." When asked to comment on GVP's demand that Benaulim assembly constituency is "theirs", he said, "There is nothing like mine and yours in politics as once it was MGP's seat, then Congress' and currently is with the GVP. So in 2017, it will be Congress."