| 3rd Annual Konkan Fruit Fest, Goa - May 6-8, 2005 |
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| Today's Events include Fruit Carving - Decor - Watermelon eating |
| Fancy Dress. Check out http://konkanfruit.swiki.net | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.asiantribune.com/show_article.php?id=2366
How to stem the rot in Goa ... By Eduardo Faleiro - Syndicate Features [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The leader of Goa Freedom Movement was Dr. T.B. d'Cunha. At the time of his death in 1958, in a condolence resolution the Indian National Congress described him as "the Father of the Goan Liberation Movement". On this occasion, Prime Minister Nehru said "what is worth remembering is that a small territory had produced a relatively large number of men and women who have sacrificed much for the struggle. Among them the name that stands out is that of Dr. T.B. Cunha".
I have requested the Speaker of Lok Sabha who is the Chairman of the Committee for Installation of Portraits of national leaders in Parliament House complex to display the portrait of Dr. T.B. Cunha in Parliament House. I request all political parties to support this move so that the portrait of Dr. T.B. Cunha is displayed in Parliament in the course of this year alongside other stalwarts of the national Freedom Movement.
The greatest benefit of Independence was democratisation of the Goan society. Moving away from a colonial and feudal set up, the vast silent majority acquired a voice and participated in governance.
For more than a decade (1963-1977) there was no presence of any national party either in the Legislature or even at the local level of Panchayats or Municipalities. Goan politics was entirely dominated by two regional parties each claiming to represent the interests of one of the two major communities -Hindus and Christians.
In 1977, I won a Lok Sabha seat exclusively on the Congress ticket. This was the first election at any level won by a national party on its own strength. In 1980, the first Congress Government was formed in the State. For the first time, representatives of both the communities were represented in one Party. The Congress rule provided a much faster development with emphasis of rural areas and for the benefit of economically and socially weaker sections. The 20 Point Programme was implemented in letter and spirit.
For the first three decades (1963-1990) Goa had just 3 Chief Ministers. Over the last 15 years, however, there have been 15 Chief Ministers some for a few days, others a few months and none for the full term. There are only 40 seats in the Goa Assembly, about 20 thousand voters in each constituency and defection of a single MLA may bring down the Government.
The rise of the BJP in Goa was the result of engineering splits in the Congress Legislature Party, supporting Governments of Congress splinter groups for a few months and then withdrawing support and finally forming a BJP led Government with splits of splits and individual MLAs. Having come to power by engineering successive defections mainly from the Congress Party, the BJP has no reason to complain. Those who live by the sword die by the sword. The collapse of the BJP Government would have happened much earlier. It remained in power for a little longer only because of the machinations of the NDA Government at the Centre.
One of the Governors appointed during the NDA rule told me clearly that if the BJP led Government lost its majority he would dissolve the Assembly but would in no case allow a Congress government to take over. The present Governor is now being blamed. What else could he do? On the day of the no confidence vote, the Congress combine had 18 MLAs and the BJP front 17 MLAs. The BJP had obviously lost its majority. The then Chief Minister should have submitted his resignation rather than resorting to all these histrionics.
In Goa and in some other small States defections have become endemic and acquired respectability. Petitions for disqualification submitted to the Speaker of the Assembly have turned into a farce. There is no time limit provided for a decision and sometimes a decision is given by the Speaker within seconds and at other times never.
The collapse of the BJP led government in Goa was due to disgust of the electorate with its policies and in particular with -
i) widespread corruption and wasteful expenditure on glitzy extravaganzas e.g. the recent International Film Festival and such other events. The CBI should investigate some of these cases.
ii) Neglect of rural areas and blatant unconcern for the backward classes and weaker sections.
iii) Deliberate and systematic communalisation of the administrative machinery, including the police and civil services, and
iv). Rampant unemployment much higher than the national average.
The Union Government should :
a) help the Government of Goa to stabilize its financial situation which has been grossly damaged by the profligacy of the previous State Government.
b) Introduce electoral reforms and implement the recommendations of the Goswami Committee, Indrajit Gupta Committee and Election Commission to prevent widespread defections of MLAs which have become rampant in small States.
c) Vest the power to disqualify MLAs in the High Court or the Election Commission rather than in the Speaker of the State Legislature.
- Syndicate Features -
Eduardo Faleiro Former Union Minister of India, Rajya Sabha Member, Political Worker, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Editorial Advisor and Consultant - Asian Tribune.
Edited and published by Vaniram from B-308, Puneet Apartments, Vasundhara Enclave, Delhi-96 and photocopied at Malik Photostat, Shop No.SS-03, Gulmohar Commercial Complex, Sector-15, Noida, Newd Delhi, India.
Phone: +91 11 22617660
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Website: www.syndicatefeatures.com
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