From: b sabha <bcsabha.kal...@gmail.com>
http://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Editorial/NGOs-are-asking-BJP-the-same-questions-it-asked-Congress/103227.html [http://www.heraldgoa.in/images/fb-post1.jpg]<http://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Editorial/NGOs-are-asking-BJP-the-same-questions-it-asked-Congress/103227.html> Herald: NGOs are asking BJP the same questions it asked ...<http://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Editorial/NGOs-are-asking-BJP-the-same-questions-it-asked-Congress/103227.html> www.heraldgoa.in That gesture of theirs was much more than symbolism. It reflected genuine belief (with clear political overtones) that the Regional Plan would be the BJP’s handle ... From: Roger D'Souza <rdsg2...@gmail.com<mailto:rdsg2...@gmail.com>> NGOs are asking BJP the same questions it asked Congress 21 Jun, 2016, Herald Editorial One of the most riveting images of Manohar Parrikar the opposition politician in the closing years of the last decade, was standing like an absolute commoner right at the rear of the massive rally of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, against the flawed Regional Plan 2011, a rally which indeed sparked off a revolution. Mr Parrikar stood there, completely at ease, in the company of his long time friend Francis D'Souza. None of them took to the stage - they wouldn’t have been invited anyway, but felt very welcome to simply show solidarity. Herald’s camera person clicked that priceless picture of Manohar and Francis looking at the taluka plans, while the rally had started. That gesture of theirs was much more than symbolism. It reflected genuine belief (with clear political overtones) that the Regional Plan would be the BJP’s handle to get back power in 2012. Mr Parrikar not just rode piggy back on the people’s anger against an anti-people Regional Plan which made provisions to hand over large chunks of Goa’s land for mega projects, he danced on it. Similarly when an agitation by the tribals of Balli in South Goa, to demand rights for tribals, went out of control leading to a riot where two tribal boys lost their lives, Manohar Parrikar openly backed civil society and activists who demanded justice for tribals. In fact after one of his frequent tours to Balli, he drove straight to the Herald office, to give a first hand account of his “spot” visit, along with pictures. The third image of Parrikar the activist, which remains etched stronger than others is his agitation demanding the removal of casinos from the Mandovi. Calling casinos literally as “dens of vice”, Parrikar demanded that unless they were all shifted out the Mandovi overnight, he would storm them the next day. The long and the short of this is simply this. The BJP is opposition and Manohar Parrikar as Opposition leader, saw activists as partners in progress against their cumulative fight against the government. When the Village groups of Goa led agitation against the Digambar Kamat government reached the secretariat, leading to a massive scuffle with the police and the arrest of activists, it was Mr Parrikar who went to the police station to speak to them and get them released. Which is why the present and consistent narrative of the now Defence Minister against NGOs and civil society as advocates of non development and perpetrators of economic doom, is fake and hollow. Civil society and NGOs are suddenly inconvenient because they are asking the BJP government in power the same uncomfortable truths it asked the Congress. Therefore the questions haven’t changed, those facing them has. Therefore Mr Parrikar needs to know that civic society hasn’t changed. It is he who has crossed the fence because of which the “other-isation” of NGOs and civic society has happened. Mr Parrikar, has never been allergic to NGOs. In fact one of the first calls he made after being sworn in as Chief Minister was to Claude Alvares of Goa Foundation, where he requested Alvares to help him out in nailing mining companies and identifying those which were operating illegally. Therefore, Mr Parrikar’s decision to speak out against NGOs every week, is surely a part of an orchestrated exercise to weaken NGOs because they are the ones who are Goa’s greatest foot soldiers. While they were friends when he was in opposition, NGOs have now turned into watch dogs and whistle blowers against his BJP government. The twain shall never meet. NGO and civil society are the biggest opposition and they can cause much more damage than opposition MLAs.
