'Once elected, politicians don't show their face' Four decades back, John Eric Gomes was a young lieutenant on the warship INS Cauvery that bombarded the Portuguese military vessel, 'Albuquerque'. Today, he's got his guns trained on another target: double-speaking politicians who divide the people and enrichen themselves.
A former Assistant Director of Naval Operations at Delhi, he was later also in the Merchant Navy. He voices the growing impatience many feel with Goa's selfish politicians, in a talk with Frederick Noronha: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: How do you see the current scene, pre-polls? Is there hope? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- There's absolute frustration. For the voter, the choice is between the devil and the deep blue sea. Between proven corruption and the BJP, who's definitely got the best people, but is communal. A party who's versions of Hindutva even the Hindus won't accept. What happened in Gujarat is absolutely disgusting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: So what's the option? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's why we've brought in the smaller parties (to face citizens at a meet-the-candidate programme, just over on Saturday in Porvorim). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: But one view is that the smaller parties would only fragment votes and probably contribute to the wrong person winning. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hence the frustration... It's also the fault of the people. Specially the middle and upper-middleclass. Their attitude makes me sometimes wonder if we're fit for democracy. In a democracy, you have to take part. They only want to sit and criticise. This evening itself, one person boldly said he was not going to vote, and was critical like anything. I asked him just one question: What are you doing about this? He had no answer because he was not doing anything except criticise. Unless you get involved, how can you have a democracy? Involvement means action. Not words, deeds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What's the focus of the Porvorim Citizens' Action Forum? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I mentioned is also happening in our own forum! Even this meeting (held on Saturday evenin, to meet up with local candidates of the May 30 polls) was not attended by fifty per cent of our members. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: Is there a palpable anger against the politician, would you say? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes, there is a great (sense of anger). But politicians have got everything sealed. They've got vote banks. They have a you-scratch-my-back and I'll scratch yours attitude. They've been doing illegal work for each other. They need each other. Perhaps the people get the government they deserve. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What do ex-servicemen feel about the situation? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can't speak for ex-servicemen. But, basically, every citizen of Goa feels the same. That is, other than the 'chamchas' of the politicians. They however don't know what to do about it. There's a great need for citizens groups from places like Porvorim, Panjim, Taleigao, Pomburpa and elsewhere to get networked and become a force. So that they can summon their elected representatives, and they will come (when needed). ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: That doesn't happen now... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once they're elected, nobody bothers. They just do what they want, and their faces are not even seen in the constitutencies. My MLA, Asnodkar, is someone who would not be recognised in many parts of Porvorim, except from photographs in the paper. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: Is there some quick fix solution to make politicians improve? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Politicians will not be more accountable, unless people take back the power in their hands. We give politicians undue importance, treat them like gods. Politicians then make use of the police, and keep people under their thumbs. There is not much the people can do about it (immediately). Politicians are supposed to legislate. But the whole time is spent in bickerings, shouting, running down one another, and disgraceful behaviour in the assembly. It's very frightening to see what type of people are increasingly coming into politics. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: But parties agree that their partymen have not been convicted? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unfortunately, the Supreme Court's rulings will not be implemented in the Goa polls. Even honest police don't know what to do. They say if they arrest a 'goonda' today, tomorrow he could become a minister and fix them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What do you see as Porvorim's major problems? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- First it's water. We are getting a trickle once in two days. Mind you, that's in the Defence Colony, you can imagine what is the state of the rest. Electricity means constant fluctuations, spikes, low voltage, tube-lights that don't come on. On the security front, throats are being slashed and there are robberies. No convictions are taking place. Take the case of the Menon family. People, specially the elderly, feel unsafe. Look at these hoarding (shows photographs) marring the skyline. They're illegal, and along the highway. Someone's making moeny off the hoarding. Money rules the roost, then for whom are the laws? FEEDBACK TO [EMAIL PROTECTED] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To unsubscribe from Goanews Send a mail message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: 'unsubscribe goanews'
