Herald, May 12, 2014 -- Opinion Eugene Correia
In these highly-charged elections, people are wary of what politicians, intellectuals, educationists and public figures say or give their opinions favouring none or a particular party. Political parties and those aligned to them wait to pounce on well-known personalities or those in the public sphere, each way or the other. Independent thinkers are not spared either, attacked by trolls on the social media. In such a quagmire stepped Father Frazer Mascarenhas, SJ, the erstwhile principal of the reputed St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. It sparked off a debate in the national media, both electronic and print, with debates on some channels and edits in some newspapers, and in intellectual and political circles. As expected, there were opinions on both sides of the debate. The hallowed Freedom of Expression, as enshrined in the Constitution, was sounded loud and clear by those who felt that the Father exercised his fundamental right to express his opinion, no matter which side his opinion fell. There was natural and expected fallout from the principal's letter to his students. The letter, for all intents and purposes, was to serve as a warning bell to his students, many of them first-time voters, to "choose wisely" for whom they vote. However, underlining the message was the Father's admonishment of the Gujarat model of development. The Gujarat model has been in the air in recent times and much more in the news in the elections. Experts in economics and social sciences, with some on each side, are swords drawn against each other. Stories hailing Gujarat's progress has been highlighted in many print and electronic outlets, while the contrary has also seen wide coverage. Voters are bemused and some may be left confused by this debate. Each voter must believe in himself on what he thinks is right or wrong about Gujarat. Studying the facts and coming to one’s conclusion is the best way possible. There are hard statistics on both sides. In this kerfuffle, the media is squeezed along with the people. True, some media is compromised. It was blatantly clear with the interviews of Narendra Modi, the BJP prime ministerial candidate, on some channels and the pulling down of the article on Gujarat riots by DNA newspaper of Mumbai. The article has thrown a poor light on Gujarat under Modi. Fear is that the PR agency that BJP has employed to trump up and boost Modi's image has managed to work its way into the newspaper management and convince it to drop the article. However, the article, written by Shezad Poonawalla, has been "cached" and copies of it were available on other websites. The writer has taken pains to destroy some of the myths regarding the Gujarat carnage of 2002. Obviously, Modi doesn't want to be reminded of 2002. Modi's legion of supporters doesn't want Modi to be portrayed as the man responsible for the Gujarat genocide. For them, it's in the past, and it’s time to move on. Modi has come a long way, though the court verdict is still awaited on this sad episode. Notwithstanding the Gujarat of 2002, the development of the state is under intense microscope of social studies. It was on this aspect that Father (Dr). Mascarenhas, whose doctorate focussed on indigenous population of India, chose to harp on, making it absolutely clear that he's not a supporter of such development. He rests his case that the Human Development Index indicators are not keeping pace with industrial growth. His worry seems to be the lopsided progress of the state that has seen "crony capitalism" and "farmers’ suicide" side-by-side. Steering clear of naming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Father Mascarenhas' letter touches upon the scourge of communalism. His heart clearly lies in the safe couch of secularism. It remains in the domain of here nor there if Father Mascarenhas has erred in using his position to influence his students. I feel caution would have been the better part of valour if the principal had not used the college website as a vehicle to deliver his message. The message itself is couched in language that purports to pat on the back of the Congress for some of its scheme, particularly the Food Security Bill. The BJP may not be answer to India’s ills, but the Congress hasn’t proved itself apt at governing India well. No doubt as a priest belonging to the Christian faith, Father Mascarenhas is inwardly worried that minorities will be discriminated against in the India under Modi. No doubt there are minorities in the BJP, and Goa is the prime example. In fact, the Goa Church first backed the BJP in the assembly elections and now it has sort of warned people that the BJP hasn’t delivered on its promises and so the voters must careful who they vote. The Church’s intervention, nevertheless, drew the ire of MLAs like Mickky Pacheco against the Church, not that anybody takes the Nuvem MLA seriously for what he may say or don't say. In a not-so-similar fasion, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has voiced its concern and directed the bishops of the Gujarat churches to guide its flock on the right path, the meaning found in between the lines. Besides Pacheco, the eulogizing words of Christian MLAs like Francis de Souza, the deputy chief minister, and Dr Wilfred Mesquita and the support of Avertano Furtado and Caitu D'Silva may act as a balm to BJP's hordes of Hindu supporters, but there is an indication that Christian voters, especially in South Goa, have been disillusioned by the government's functioning. The poll result will show the outcome in South Goa, though Manohar Parrikar has bragged that the BJP will bag South Goa. The CM is perhaps basing his guess on the Christian votes getting spilt, thanks to Churchill Alemao. Minorities in India, including the Christian community in Goa which isn't facing hardships as the Muslim minorities and Dalits in some states in India, are on guard to see the results, come May 16. Their hopes or their despair will be known on which party becomes the new rulers. It’s good to remember Father Mascarenhas’ cautionary note, “The prospect of an alliance of corporate capital and communal forces coming to power constitutes a real threat to the future of our secular democracy.” -- eugene