[Goanet] My column in today's OHeraldo

[Eugene Correia]

 

 

India isn’t free from its karm comment a




Eugene Correia 



It’s no secret The world’s strongest democracy and the world’s largest 
democracy, the United States and India respectively, are messy right now.

The unpredicted victory of Donald Trump came as a shocker to those who believe 
in liberal ideas, just the BJP catapulted Modi into centre stage, and has hence 
turned into an autocrat. A popular US news website put Modi in the company of 
Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoðan as world’s “ strongmen”. While Trump is facing a 
stiff test, trying to reconcile himself with the nuances of governing a 
powerful nation, Modi is reinventing himself and pushing forward the BJP’s 
vision of India. Trump is fumbling badly since he entered the White House. His 
administration is showing cracks with reports of infighting and fractions. But 
despite all the stumbles, he continues to be held in high esteem by his large 
red- neck Americans and evangelical Christians who form his support base.

Modi too is held high by the ultra- religious Hindus. He has grown in power and 
looks forward to winning the next elections in 2019. It’s no secret that his 
rhetoric has changed recently, and his emphasis on “ sab ke sath, sab ka vikas” 
is more evident than before. Though the “ achhe din” haven’t truly arrived, his 
first big move to demonetise money, his current chase to bring absconders who 
looted India, and the reopening of the Ayodhya case against Lal Kishan Advani, 
Uma Bharti and Manohar Joshi after 25 years can be seen as a move by the 
government to win over the both the pro- BJP and anti- BJP sections at the next 
election.

Trump and Modi are the prophets of populism. The trend to please the electorate 
with what they want to hear and see is perhaps not new, but it is modified to 
calm the disquiet and anger among the people. Campaign promises necessarily 
don’t come to reality in governance. See the hurdles Trump is facing.

Except for those backing the BJP, most of the other segments of society are 
wary of the things going on in the nation.

The frustration of the people was reflected in BJP losing three states — 
Punjab, Manipur and Goa. It was only through morally corrupt ways that BJP 
managed to take control of government in Goa and Manipur. It’s an affront to 
the norms and ideals of democracy.

What we see now is “ stealth democracy.” In a recent book, The End of Karma — 
Hope and Fury among India’s Young, by Somini Sengupta, the former bureau chief 
of the New York Times in India, she quotes, Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, the father of 
the Indian Constitution, as saying, “ Democracy in India is only a top- 
dressing on an Indian soil which is essentially undemocratic.” She opines that 
“ Ambedkar was remarkably prescient.

India still struggles to be democratic in everyday life.” Her book espouses the 
aspiration of young Indians to succeed and become globally competent.

Taking into consideration the everyday life of Indians, we see how the state of 
affairs has gone from bad to worse. Just weeks ago, India celebrated the 126th 
anniversary of this visionary who worked selflessly for the downtrodden people 
of India, the dalits, and saw in his lifetime that democracy had penetrated 
deep down into the poor sections of the society. The dalits, the Schedule 
Castes and the Schedule Castes still struggle with everyday life, 
notwithstanding the progress in their livelihood over the years since India 
gained Independence.

Despite the drama of fury taking place in some universities over freedom of 
speech, and some states over, freedom of choice in food, and the dance of 
democracy in Tamil Nadu over taking over Jayalalitha’s legacy, which no 
sensible politician must attempt to inherit because of its tainted stains of 
corruption, Somini says, “ Democracy has anchored itself in the minds of 
India’s young. It speaks to the triumph of an audacious idea.” To back up her 
impression of the India she left behind as a child and now seen through the 
eyes of a foreign correspondent, she quotes Nandan Nilekani, the man who 
thought of the Aadhaar card, which is making news these days, from his book, 
Imagining India: Ideas for at the New Century, “ For the first time, there is a 
sense of hope across the country.” For this new generation of Indians, the 
writer has coined the phrase, “ noonday’s children,” a take on Salman Rushdie’s 
famous book, Midnight’s Children, which highlighted the birth of an independent 
India.

Somini admits that “ despite roaring economic growth…. nearly one in four 
Indians lives in dire poverty…” The economic reforms came in 1991 and given the 
Congress rule at the centre, there was demand for a change. Just as in Goa, the 
Congress corruption forced the people to change the government, and then again 
force a change when BJP proved unworthy of itself. BJP had to resort to a coup 
to snatch victory from the jaws of death, thanks to the 

Re: [Goanet] my column in today's OHeraldo

[Jose Colaco]

COMMENT:

I wonder if the Heraldo has lost its standards. Cannot explain How such a
crappy alleged-article by a senior alleged-journalist was printed.

It is now, well accepted that while ALL of us make occasional errors, this
Eugene Correia makes them in almost every post. His oft repeated excuse is
that he does not read what he writes before submission. That, he assumes, I
believe, is the task of the (say) Heraldo editors. RICHVERY RICH !

This Correia article refers to an allegedly STEERING Speech delivered by
Nehruand refers to Lata's song at the NATIONAL STADIUM (Was it at the
National Stadium? or at another ground circa 4 miles to the North ?)

The rest of Eugene's post is replete with his usual circular nonsense.

Will not comment at this time on the alleged Peace & Sweetie loving chap
who invaded Hyderabad and Goa.

jc



On 15 August 2016 at 08:14, Eugene Correia  wrote:

> Independence and its discontents
>
> Eugene Correia




> It was on the eve of Independence Day that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

delivered his memorable speech, A Tryst With Destiny, to the Constituent
Assembly, and the next day he triumphantly proclaimed from the ramparts of
the Red Fort that India has woken up to a new dawn. It was a STEERING
speech which till today brings tears to my eyes, just as the tune of " Aye
mere watan ke logo", which translates into English as " O! the people of my
country. The soulful lyrics and the emotional rendering of the patriotic
song by none other than one of the greatest Goans, Lata Mangeskhar, in the
NATIONAL STADIUM  in 1963, brought tears to Nehru's eyes.
Moved by the song, Nehru is said to have remarked, “ Those who don't feel
inspired by ' Aye mere watan ke logo' don't deserve to be called a
Hindustani.” This patriotic song is revered and reverberates across the
length and breadth of India on every Independence Day. On this auspicious
day, we pledge our allegiance to our motherland and celebrate the freedom
that many Indians, though Goans in Goa were still under colonial rule but
some had their hearts and soul in British India, fought for and died for.
The deep, thoughtful words of the Mangeshkar song and the stirring words of
Nehru’s speech will forever remain in my memory till I die. I will die an
Indian, though TECHNICALLY I am now a Canadian citizen.
I was called an anti- Indian by some Hindu Indians in Toronto after I wrote
a denunciatory report on the then India’s consul- general Chandra Mohan
Bandari whose act of filming an exhibition at Toronto’s famous tourist
landmark, Harbourfront, put up by the group owing loyalty to one of India’s
progressive leftist group. It was only because some Hindu friends of mine
informed these pro- consulate Hindus that I am a thorough Indian and what I
wrote is right in the context that Harbourfront officials were angry at the
consul’s behaviour.
It diminished the status of India’s consular representative who could
easily have asked any person from the groups who are close to the consulate
to do the filming instead of himself going there with a camcorder in hand.
Criticising Indian consular staff or also the Indian government should not
be considered as same as criticising India.
We have seen the way the present government and its legion of supporters,
including some hard line groups that owe allegiance to the BJP, accuse
those who cross swords with those in power are termed “ anti- national.” No
wonder that the now demoted minister, Smriti Irani, has been mockingly
called “ aunty national.” To me, it seems that Ms Irani had become too big
for her shoes.
The way she was going about “ saffronizing” the educational system, it
could be a national tragedy if she had continued in the position as HRD
minister.
No wonder the Twitter world went buzzing when Modi, prodded by BJP
president Amit Shah, had this heavyweight of a minister shifted to mind
India’s textile policy. Maybe she was turning out to be a political “ hot
potato” and was possibly seen as a liability to BJP’s political future,
particularly when the party is gearing for the assembly elections in some
states, including Goa.
Where I live, some trees are showing early signs of shedding their green
colour. Eh, as they say in Canada, Autumn is approaching. It seems Autumn
has already set in the BJP government, with Modi having changed colour. He
is now suddenly appearing to be close to the Dalits. If Modi is wooing
Dalits, Amit Shah was having lunch with a Dalit family. Shah was obviously
looking for a photo- op. In the beloved Gujarat of both Modi and Shah, the
Dalits are in arms. The atrocities committed against Dalits are nerve-
wrecking.
Now appeasement seems to be a political tool. Wasn’t it was the same BJP
who berated other political parties, especially the Congress, for appeasing
the minorities? To me, the Unity in Diversity slogan is just that — a
slogan.
Today, Narendra Modi will climb the ramparts of Red Fort and thunder away,
praising the government’s 

[Goanet] my column in today's OHeraldo

[Eugene Correia]

Independence and its discontents

Eugene Correia

It was on the eve of Independence Day that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
delivered his memorable speech, A Tryst With Destiny, to the Constituent
Assembly, and the next day he triumphantly proclaimed from the ramparts of
the Red Fort that India has woken up to a new dawn. It was a steering
speech which till today brings tears to my eyes, just as the tune of " Aye
mere watan ke logo", which translates into English as " O! the people of my
country. The soulful lyrics and the emotional rendering of the patriotic
song by none other than one of the greatest Goans, Lata Mangeskhar, in the
National Stadium in 1963, brought tears to Nehru's eyes.
Moved by the song, Nehru is said to have remarked, “ Those who don't feel
inspired by ' Aye mere watan ke logo' don't deserve to be called a
Hindustani.” This patriotic song is revered and reverberates across the
length and breadth of India on every Independence Day. On this auspicious
day, we pledge our allegiance to our motherland and celebrate the freedom
that many Indians, though Goans in Goa were still under colonial rule but
some had their hearts and soul in British India, fought for and died for.
The deep, thoughtful words of the Mangeshkar song and the stirring words of
Nehru’s speech will forever remain in my memory till I die. I will die an
Indian, though technically I am now a Canadian citizen.
I was called an anti- Indian by some Hindu Indians in Toronto after I wrote
a denunciatory report on the then India’s consul- general Chandra Mohan
Bandari whose act of filming an exhibition at Toronto’s famous tourist
landmark, Harbourfront, put up by the group owing loyalty to one of India’s
progressive leftist group. It was only because some Hindu friends of mine
informed these pro- consulate Hindus that I am a thorough Indian and what I
wrote is right in the context that Harbourfront officials were angry at the
consul’s behaviour.
It diminished the status of India’s consular representative who could
easily have asked any person from the groups who are close to the consulate
to do the filming instead of himself going there with a camcorder in hand.
Criticising Indian consular staff or also the Indian government should not
be considered as same as criticising India.
We have seen the way the present government and its legion of supporters,
including some hard line groups that owe allegiance to the BJP, accuse
those who cross swords with those in power are termed “ anti- national.” No
wonder that the now demoted minister, Smriti Irani, has been mockingly
called “ aunty national.” To me, it seems that Ms Irani had become too big
for her shoes.
The way she was going about “ saffronizing” the educational system, it
could be a national tragedy if she had continued in the position as HRD
minister.
No wonder the Twitter world went buzzing when Modi, prodded by BJP
president Amit Shah, had this heavyweight of a minister shifted to mind
India’s textile policy. Maybe she was turning out to be a political “ hot
potato” and was possibly seen as a liability to BJP’s political future,
particularly when the party is gearing for the assembly elections in some
states, including Goa.
Where I live, some trees are showing early signs of shedding their green
colour. Eh, as they say in Canada, Autumn is approaching. It seems Autumn
has already set in the BJP government, with Modi having changed colour. He
is now suddenly appearing to be close to the Dalits. If Modi is wooing
Dalits, Amit Shah was having lunch with a Dalit family. Shah was obviously
looking for a photo- op. In the beloved Gujarat of both Modi and Shah, the
Dalits are in arms. The atrocities committed against Dalits are nerve-
wrecking.
Now appeasement seems to be a political tool. Wasn’t it was the same BJP
who berated other political parties, especially the Congress, for appeasing
the minorities? To me, the Unity in Diversity slogan is just that — a
slogan.
Today, Narendra Modi will climb the ramparts of Red Fort and thunder away,
praising the government’s achievements, particularly the social schemes
with varied names.
He has asked people for suggestions to incorporate them in his speech.
Known for his oratory, Modi must be reminded what Benjamin Frankline said,
“ Well done is better than well said.” True, people have short memories.
The Dalit issue in Gujarat only brings back the memory of the Muslim
carnage there.
One cannot whitewash history.
Modi has perhaps learnt from twin Gujarat events and want to mend his ways.
Rooting out the rotten apples, as in the case of Ms Irani, is a good move.
Public cynicism seems to be very high now and whatever the government does
or tries to do is met with justifiable censure or disdain.
No doubt the government is trying to win back the trust of those who see
the party as pandering to hardliners in the Sangh Parivar family. The cow
vigilantism is a current example, and it’s apparently aimed at the Muslims
who seem to be more often the BJP 

[Goanet] My column in today's OHeraldo

[Eugene Correia]

There are mistakes (don’t know if they are mine as I wrote the piece just a
few hours before my departure to Goa) in what appeared in OHeraldo. I have
found some an d the missing words have been put in brackets.

*E*ugene



Strange interpretations about Nehru’s quote
Eugene Correia

In a week or so, Goa will again herald the coming of Independence and
rejoice in the ex- colony joining the motherland called India. December 19,
1961 will be remembered with fervour and vigour by those who felt elated
with being free of the colonial yoke. No doubt, the date remains a D- Day
in the history of Goa, particularly so in the tortuous annals of Goa’s
freedom movement. It’s the day to honour and remember those who gave their
blood and sweat in the long march for freedom.

Those who laid down their lives deserve a minute of special reverence by
Goans who are patriotic in heart and mind and feel that their sacrifices
have not gone in vain.

Since the dawn of a new era, there have been critics of the Liberation. For
these pro- Portuguese as well as those who wanted Goa to be a separate
independent nation, December 19 is a day of mourning.

They take recourse to the Supreme Court’s verdict that Goa’s take over was
annexation as per international law. Since this ruling doesn’t make any
impact on its new rulers to change the status quo, it only matters in
academic circles whether one considers the embracing of Goa within the
Indian federalism is termed as Liberation or Annexation.

In the midst of the Liberation/ Annexation debate, the focus has been then
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. True, Nehru abandoned his diplomacy for
military. Circumstances of the time forced his hand, and obviously someone
like Krishnav Menon, a trusted friend and his Defence Minister, prevailed
upon Nehru to launch the offensive that ultimately resulted in Portuguese
running away, though with little resistance. The die had been cast a few
days before the first step towards Goa and the sweep down by Air Force
planes with strafing the surrounding areas of Dabolim airport.

In the post- military action, as Goa limped back to normalcy and attainted
steadiness in its daily life, Nehru visited Goa in 1963.

In between 1961 and his Goa visit, Nehru had a shock with the Hindi- Chini
bhaibhai diplomacy got hammered as Chinese army amassed itself on India’s
borders and gave a crushing blow both to Nehru’s trust in Chow En Lai and
to the Indian army.

Never did Nehru expect that his faith in the Chinese premier would be a
such a reward. First, Nehru suffered global shame for his use of force in
Goa and then he suffered humiliating defeat at the hands of China. This
twin- episode obviously played on his mind—and heart—and Nehru succumbed
next year, in 1964.

Nehru has gone from this earth but he remains in memory of those Goans who
felt Nehru went back on his promise to retain Goa as a distinct society,
which Goans calculated as being a separate entity, out of mainstream India.
Nehru obviously based on the premise that Goan society and culture is of
both Hindu and Catholic streams, and both a mix of Indian and Portuguese
influences. A confluence of such cultures, though even Pondicherry ( now
Puducherry) displayed such a fusion, was what defined Goa, a legacy that
persists till today.

So, in the narratives of both national and regional identities Goa has been
given a special place. It’s said that Nehru remarked, “ Ajeeb hai yeh Goa
ke log.” But I am not able to find the quote attributed to Nehru in my
desperate search for its reference.

Even authors who used the quote hasn’t referenced to it. In one of his
pieces for OHeraldo, Vivek Menezes used it, and so did Rajan Narayan
elaborated on it with(out) pinpointing its source. Even before these two
writers took liberty with the quote other journalists flayed the alleged
remark with gay abandon.

Those who take history serious(ly)need to find the quote’s origin. If none
is able to trace it, it could well be dismissed as a canard and put to
rest. Talking to a couple of freedom fighters ( including my dad’s cousin,
the late Felix Valois Rodrigues, a journalist and writer in Portuguese,
Konkani and English) in the late 70s, I was informed that Nehru seemed to
have one of his temper moods when he scolded the nationalists, as there
were at least two major groups in the forefront of the freedom struggle,
for not coming to a compromise plan for action. The association(s) were
making different sort of demands and were not in disagreement with each
other. He’s supposed to have found it strange that Goans didn’t agree on
common points.

Were those who met Nehru responsible for spreading this quote? Or was it an
antagonistic shot at Nehru by one of the disgusted party? It’s a well-
known fact that the different groups espousing the cause of Goa’s freedom
differed from each other in their approach and method in achieving the goal
of freedom. There was no consensus, except its affirmed target—to get the
Portuguese out 

[Goanet] My column in today's OHeraldo

[Eugene Correia]

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http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250username=xa-4b3ae0f8576b8b84
  --

* Parrikar leaves Goa mired in a mess*

*Now that Parrikar has all but abandoned the ship and taken charge of
India's borders, Goa may seem to be left lobbing in the midst of circling
crises from mining to airport *

In the light of Manohar Parrikar's ascension to the rank of a minister in
the Union Cabinet it shouldn't be taken as shocking or rather surprising.
If one read the CM's lips or read between the lines of his statements ever
since the BJP rode to power and Parrikar assumed the CM’s post for the
third time, it was clearly that something was behind his mind. So, in
reality it's not a ‘ shock and awe’ moment.

The CM has made it bluntly clear that he would not run again in the
assembly elections. It isn't that he's tired of State politics but
obviously his aim had soared to the national level with the coming of
Narendra Modi. Parrikar was due to get Modi's blessing for his hospitality
in hosting the BJP party in Goa that launched Modi to be the PM- designate.
The rest, as they say, is history.

Parrikar did play down the rumour earlier on that he was bound for New
Delhi. His heart may be in Goa, or he may not want to grab the opportunity
then to go to New Delhi for the simple reason that he came to power, yes
again, on many election promises that are still unfulfilled. It was too
early to let the people down who voted for him and the BJP to bring some
solace to a troubled state that had seen corruption and mis- management of
government machinery. The Congress under Digamber Kamat had committed hara-
kiri, and the surge to unseat the BJP has got new impetus under Luizinho
Faleiro. But the BJP, even after the hovering presence of Parrikar isn’t
there, will be steady, for Parrikar will not rest easy without pulling
strings from his seat in New Delhi.

Now that Parrikar has all but abandoned the ship and taken charge of
India's borders, Goa may seem to be left lobbing in the midst of circling
crises from mining to airport.

For his known astuteness and administrative ability, Parrikar has fallen
short of delivering the goods. His flopping ways on government action in
certain sectors, often taking a different route than what was expected or
planned, earned him the obnoxious label of ‘ Master of U- Turns’ and ‘
Master Bluffer’. Parrikar leaves Goa mired in a mess, though the veil on
mining has been lifted a little, the Dabolim- Mopa controversy is at its
peak, and the RP 2021 is still hanging fire. One thing for sure, Parrikar
wasn't fiddling while Goa was burning, but he wasn't able to put out the
small flames before they became engulfing ones. His firefighting skills
were more confined to inner- party wranglings and saving Caetano ( Caitu)
D'Silva and Glenn Ticlo from the embarrassing hammer of disqualification
from the assembly over their Portuguese passport or birth registration
dilemma. His tackling of the Special Status has been a bold attempt after
the Union government drove a thorn into it. It remains to be seen what his
role will be in pursuing the Special Status cause within the Union cabinet
to give a favourable nod to Goa's claim, whether Goa really satisfies the
parameters of getting such accommodation in the federal set- up of the
country. No doubt the migrant problem is unsettling for Goans, and a
solution defi- nitely must be found within the constitutional framework of
the country to keep Goa from being overrun by outsiders. It’s the pressing
need of the day.

Parrikar won the hearts of the people when he introduced populist measures,
including gladdening the thirsty petroguzzling throats of the auto and bike
riders by reducing the tax on petrol. The other schemes that touched the
poor and the needy were in the realm of government's reach to do its best
to those who are in utmost need of government's financial help. The fate
suffered by the mining- dependent people following the closure of mines was
expected but the mining tangle had to be cleared for Goa to get itself rid
of illegality in this industry. Some shortterm misfortune must be tolerated
for long- term good.

It's unfortunate that the casino industry has been kept afloat though
Parrikar was sworn to ship them out into the Arabian Sea, away from the
eyes of the people.

The Mandovi was to be free of these eyesores, which were no doubt the
playground of the rich. No doubt the casino and gambling aspect is a force
to be reckoned within the tourism marketplace but Goa needs to have
safeguards in place to see that  bad money doesn't give Goa a reputation
that it will find hard to discard for a very long time. Sadly, the gambling
industry has given Goa the prominence it currently enjoys, with
prostitution and crime cropping up closely to smudge Goa’s name. Goa
doesn’t need these qualifiers to spoil its fair name, earned over time as
one of the best State to live and work.

( Eugene Correia is a senior 

[Goanet] my column in today's Oheraldo

[Eugene Correia]

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enter luizinho, it’s wait and watch!

In an earlier column, I had suggested that Congress gets itself a rainmaker.

The fortunes of the party doesn't look bright and unless there's a sea
change in the top ladder of the party, things won't look up till the party
is ready for the next assembly elections. The Congress in power was a
disaster with corruption taking a leap. The result of mismanagement and
misrule was the dumping of the government.

The people spoke through their vote. It was a bitter lesson for the
Congress.

In the fitness of things, the result of the election made the High Command
think hard on the future course of the party in Goa. The party was tearing
itself over factionalism and infighting. A clean sweep was needed. However,
to get the old guard out of the way it needed strong-arm tactics and
resolute maneuvering. The Congress was doing nothing meaningful both in
government and party work. It was, in fact, self- destructing itself.

In stepped former Rajya Sabha MP John Fernandes, whose presence in Delhi
was not very commendable but he stayed as a silent and calm face. Some saw
him as a breath of fresh air and some saw him as an intruder, a new
power-broker.

It was too short a period to judge him totally but in the time he held the
reins of the party he did step on the toes of veterans and the veritable
Congressmen. The persons he rubbed the wrong way have been the pillars of
the Congress. They are the wind behind the Congress, at least that was what
they assume they are. Maybe, they command a big influence and are seen as
power- centres. For John Fernandes to take them on and come out without a
scratch was mission impossible. But John seemed brave, and it's open to
debate if his act of suspending units of the party and also putting the
seasoned politicians on notice.

Unfortunately, some of the targeted Congress also have a measurable
influence in the BJP. One hardly knows who is friend or foe in the
political makeup of the state.

They may fire salvos at each other at one time and may be in arms of each
other at other times. John obviously wasn't a master at this game but that
doesn't mean he was unaware of backroom dealings. He has been in politics
long enough to know the tricks of the trade but he isn't apt at this trade.

He created enemies for himself, from the Ranes to the Alemaos and some in
between. The ground beneath him seemed shaky. But he stood his ground as
mixed media reports either put him on the hot seat or unseated him.

Whatever promoted Sonia Gandhi to give John the sack and bring in former
chief minister and one of the general secretaries of the all- India party,
Luizinho Faleiro, into the vibrating chair is not know openly. But seems
the axis of friendships built over the years in Goan politics helped
Faleiro to come back with a big bang at the state level.

To me, Faleiro isn't the rainmaker I had in mind. He's been an old hand and
is quite versatile in playing power politics.

With him, it seems the tested leadership has got a new lease of life. It
may be a difficult task for Faleiro and those he would choose to bring the
Congress back into the reckoning. Yeah, people's memory is short and the
voters may or may not forgive the Congress when they line up to vote the
next time. It needs to be seen how Faleiro plays his cards with his cumpar
Churchill Alemao and how he manipulates Salcette in the see- saw of Goan
politics.

One thing for sure, Faleiro bears some tainted marks. He's not known as a
squeaky clean politician. It may seem that the old is new again. When it
looked like Faleiro had given up Goa and he himself said that he's more
interested in helping the party at the all- India level, he's back at home
base. Such is the nature of politics. Politicians, like soldiers, never die.

As the political scenario unfolds for Congress, it's going to be wait- and-
see game. John Fernandes has already set the ball rolling with his rapid-
fire attacks against the party. We can expect BJP to be laughing on the
sidelines. True, Congress is in a flux and it's definitely laughing matter.
Will Faleiro turn the tide for the Congress? My bet is on.

( Eugene Correia is a senior journalist.)

[Goanet] My column in today's OHeraldo

[Eugene Correia]

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Modi’s progress must include Goa’s demand

I t sort of rained on the Modi government's 100 days in power party when
floods filled the state of Jammu and Kashmir and thousands are still
stranded. It's not that natural disasters are unknown to India, but
monsoons bring devastation to many parts of country. It's bad that this
fury of the gods will have a negative effect on the tourist economy of J
K, a state forever in the national eye because of domestic problems and
cross- border terrorism. A permanent communal discord harms the scenario of
a beautiful and scenic paradise.

The heart bleeds to see young children caught in this natural calamity
besides being shell- shocked victims of internal fighting between different
groups. It's time Kashmiris have peace and its young generation grow up in
an atmosphere of serenity and without any sprinkling of blood.

Kashmir is no doubt a major communal flashpoint, made worse by Pakistan's
motivation to keep the state on boil. It's will be a long time -- or never
-- that a solution to the Kashmir problem will ever be found.

We have to live with it, not only in our lifetime but for generations to
come. A splintered state between the original J K and the Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir ( PoK), the soul is split. Kashmiris are doughty people
who have seen bloodshed for years and may see blood going in small streams
for many more years to come. In these circumstances the will and the spirit
of the Kashmiris triumph of the odds. One can only pray that they peace
will descend on the valley in the near future.

True, the natural calamity overhung the Modi government's march. It may be
too short a period to assess the progress and from all accounts the
reaction is mixed.

The streamlining of certain government functions and also cracking the whip
against officialdom, the Modi government has instilled some discipline in a
wayward babucracy.

New Delhi is, undoubtedly, perked up, and the effects seem to falling on
some states. On the foreign policy front, Modi has stepped on a affirmative
diplomatic path. India's hegemony in South Asia is a known fact, and the
neighbours tread cautiously in dealing with India. The Pakistan- India
relations will always be on a see- saw.

The mistrust both nations hold against each other underpins the
relationship. However, it must be acceded that both nations cannot afford
going to war. In the mutual embrace of the love- hate syndrome, a jawjaw is
better than war- war.

As much it has done on the global stage and Modi's meeting with Obama could
be the highpoint in the diplomatic stakes. Considered a pariah for such a
long time because of his rule in Gujarat, Modi's elevation of prime
minister of the nation has turned the tide around. No doubt, economic
thrust remains the hallmark of his foreign policy, with  Made in India or
 Make in India as calling cards to foreign investors, the foreign
business could open shop in India. It's seen as a u- turn for a party that
was going hammer and tongs against FDI in multibrand retail. How this plays
out when the big global companies line up at India's door is to be seen.
There could be no major uturns but expect some detours. The UPAled
government’s economic reforms yielded some results, and Modi could build on
it.

No doubt much is expected on the economic front, the Modi government,
especially the BJP party, hasn't adhered itself favourably to the
politically- neutral population of the country. In the latest hiccup, the
president of the party, Amit Shah, has been charge- sheeted for  hate
speech. Modi presents a different face of the party while Shah presents
another face. In between these two, there are many faces, more so the rabid
yogis, who defy the law and, by extension, defy the very nature of India.
The shenanigans of the wayward BJP MPs and cadre should be stopped. It
doesn't matter whether one is  sickular, but secularism is the
cornerstone of the Constitution and, therefore, a sacred face of the
nation. One cannot forget that some elements in the BJP said the former
prime minister Vaypayee was just a  mask of the party. Vajpayee's
tolerance and his stand on communal issues wasn't welcomed by the hardcore
party- members. And now he's in the doldrums, as much as the old guard who
sustained the party for years.

It's the new face of the party, a face that can change colour in an instant.

Since Centre- State relations are always fraught with tension, the Modi
government has had its hands full in dealing with some states. In this
respect, Goa was supposed to be in the friendly arms of Modi, since he got
leapfrogged onto the national stage from Goa. On his crowning glory as PM-
candidate for the party, he made promises galore, among them Special Status
for Goa. The case for Special Status has been hanging fire for such a long
time that it came as a shock, albeit a failure of promise, when the
government rejected the Specail Status case.

It gave ammunition