In January 2005,though things were not completely
perfect, there was no crisis in the state. Goa ranked
as the No.1 state in India. The Parrikar Government
had
received praises for the efficient organization of the
IFFI. Goa is among the top tourist destinations in the
world. There is surplus electricity. A stable and
efficient administration had led industries to look at
Goa as an investment destination. Wipro and Patni were
all set to start their units in Goa. The River
Princess was about to be removed. There were plans of
an International airport. The sky bus was successfully
tested. Panjim now looks like a European city. Goa has
the smooth roads rarely to be found in India. There is
no communal tension. Goa University has tied up with
the prestigious IITs. Government schools in Goa have
been upgraded. And all this fast track development had
been achieved in four years' time under the leadership
of a well-educated and sincere politician, Manohar
Parrikar.
Just when, the people of Goa thought they had a
stable and progressive government, Parrikar was
tempted to dismiss a corrupt minister. This minister
had always been using the government machinery at his
own pleasure. He was indeed a filmi 'goonda'. Parrikar
had inducted him in the government because he had no
other option when he came to power. Without his
support Parrikar could not have pulled Goa out of
political instability and power would have fallen in
wrong hands. Throughout his tenure, Parrikar did a
tightrope-balancing act, tolerating the whims and
fancies of someone he eagerly wanted to evict.
Eventually the tantrums went out of control and
Parrikar had to dismiss him.
In a couple of days, the entire numerical alignment
in the legislative assembly changed. Those who had
sung praises for Parrikar, turned into foes overnight.
A smooth sailing government a few weeks before, now
went into turbulence only after one member had been
dismissed. If there had been something seriously wrong
in the Government’s functioning, or if there was a
state crisis, or if the government was found to be
indulging in criminal activities, the Governor would
have been justified in overthrowing the government.
But in Goa, only an MLA had been disqualified from
voting at a trial of strength. This does not give the
governor enough reason to dismiss a government, the
praises of which he himself had been singing until few
weeks before the entire fiasco.
All of Goa knows this story. Take your memory back to
the days when power was in the hands of an inherently
unstable Congress. The chief ministers changed every
now and then. There was absolutely no development in
the state. Goa would be in the news only when the
government would get toppled. Parrikar had broken this
legacy and given Goa a stable government. The chief
minister is supposed to be the mastermind behind the
administration of the state. Issues related to health
care, finance, industry, infrastructure, are guided by
the CM. Every shuffle in the leadership causes the
previous government’s policies to be reversed. This is
the main reason why Goa had not seen sufficient
industrial investment. Wipro who had earlier shown
interest are now rethinking their plans.
There is no doubt that a Congress government will
lead Goa into political turmoil. Just a day after
coming into power, there was a mad rush for
ministerial berths. Questions were raised about
whether this government would last for over a week. If
they come to power, you are sure to witness several
side switches and musical chairs. These people who
pretend to be united are the same people who have
toppled each other. There is still intense rivalry
between them, and they will give vent to it when the
time comes. Just imagine the hell Goa will turn into
if the Congress comes in power.
After the elections, the numerical alignment will
change even further and the same politicians with
criminal background will lobby for cabinet berths.
They include semi-literate people who have not even
finished their primary education. So sorry has been
the state of Goan politics that even a smuggler once
became the chief minister. These people have no sense
of duty or patriotism. They live flashy lifestyles,
evident from the expensive birthday parties they throw
and the cars they travel in.
Contrast this with the lifestyle of Parrikar. He
explicitly asks people not to issue greetings on the
newspapers for his birthday. His attire is that of a
common man. His simplicity makes him stand apart from
other politicians. He has excellent contacts with some
of the top industrialists of the country. His visions
for Goa have always been progressive. The cyberage
scheme has made Goa the most computer-literate state
paving the way for E-governance in the future. The
social security scheme and medical insurance scheme
are similar to ones existing in many foreign
countries. He got rid of the infamous slums in Baina.
He gets criticized for spending 120 crores on IFFI.
But little do the critics realize that this cost will
eventually get recovered in the next few years and
earn the state, precious revenue in the form of fame
and tourism. The money was spent on infrastructure
that had to be developed some time or the other. He
did to Goa what Chandrababu Naidu did to Hyderabad.
Rather than dismissing his government, he should have
been congratulated for his tough stand and far-sighted
governance.
The current political crisis is a result of a hung
assembly. No party had a clear majority. Being a state
with only 40 seats, just a couple of MLAs changing
sides or resigning, can cause the government to be
toppled. This has in fact been the reason behind all
such situations in Goa. To change this, all that we
need is a clear majority to a party that has
relatively lesser infighting and by and large gives a
good administration. It is unfortunate that our local
Goan dailies are projecting an ugly face of the BJP
before the public ignoring all the good things they
did. Not that the BJP Government was perfect. They had
several flaws too. They could not provide 24 hours
water and power supply to the entire state. But nobody
has a magic wand that can make miracles overnight.
Before we curse Parrikar’ government, let’s not forget
that things were not any better during the Congress
rule. It is a choice we, the voters have to make
during elections, and choose the lesser of the two
evils. The verdict you give will determine the way you
and your children will live in this state.
-A Goan
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