GOOD POLITICS FOR A CHANGE?

Guess who is here inaugurating the brand new swanky Lulu Mall in UP capital city Lucknow on a Sunday (July 10, 2022)? None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath! UP-ites are thinking maybe the good old days are returning to the state but the mall has raked up a controversy by holding a namaz on the premises. Now Hinduatva groups want a Hanuman Chalisa recital there too. Interestingly, the mall belongs to Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Group Indian origin billionaire Yussuf Ali M A, it is spread over 22 lakh square feet and reportedly offers the crème de la crème of shopping and services. It is naturally attracting a rush of eager shoppers! Good news, indeed.

PORTUGUESE PASSPORT EFFECT!

FOOD trucks are now becoming a common sight in Goa. Especially after the long drawn out covid pandemic which has lead to unemployment, many seem to have taken recourse to self-employment through these food trucks. But there is lack of regulatory mechanism here.
Many food trucks are parked on roads, creating congestion as customers gather. An example is opposite Goa Medical College at Bambolim. Further, it is necessary that not just a mere license of Panchayat but also clearance of FDA is taken for these food trucks. This is essential tTHE Portuguese government in their abundant largesse has to be praised for having kept a window of opportunity open! So that sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters of those whose births were registered in Goa on or before December 19, 1961 could acquire Portuguese nationality and thus find lucrative employment, especially in the United Kingdom as well as to a certain extent, in France.
Tens of thousands of Goan youth are now employed in Europe and they mostly hail from South Goa as well as places such as Siridao, Agassaim, Santa Cruz and Merces. However, since these Portuguese passport holders relinquished the right to vote in Goa on surrendering their Indian passports, by a conservative estimate in the past 15-20 years, about 4-5 lakh names have been deleted from the electoral rolls in Goa.
The result is a sizeable percentage of the Goan electorate has shrunk. Make no mistake about it, these 4-5 lakh voters were mostly supporters of the Congress in Goa and so the support base of the Congress has reduced considerably. It resulted in the defeat of the Congress even though Congress till the 2017 Assembly polls managed to garner 17 MLAs.
It is very difficult to apportion responsibility and blame for this turn of events because the youth who chose to migrate to Europe were not able to find gainful employment in Goa. They had no other choice then to acquire Portuguese nationality and earn their livelihood in foreign shores!
—Stephen Dias, Dona Paula

HELL IN PANAJI
THE state of the roads in and around Goa’s capital city Panaji is horrifying to witness after the recent rainfall and flooding. If measures are not taken in the years to come we may have to travel by motorboats or canoe with licenses issued by the Captain of Ports.
For years experts have been warning about the dangers of rampant, unplanned, concrete buildings mushrooming anywhere. It is because of this we are now paying the price by witnessing the flooding and dire exposure to death and disease. It is inappropriate and uncalled for to blame the rains for the flooding!
Instead blame the experts in our Planning and Municipal bodies who advise the authorities, who are chums of politicians, and have been given their appointments with ulterior motives. The results are there for all to see.
Interestingly, there’s been no flooding on the road fronting Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate’s mansion and his two hotels at Miramar! Here, the roads are intact and there are no potholes either. This is not a miracle but a clear example of where there is a will there is a way. When those in power come to terms with the fact that public interest must supersede personal interests. Planning and development of any city must be by professionals with expertise in the field and not by politicians who only focus on pecuniary gains.
—Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

CITIZENS ASK
THE Opposition is behaving like it is a workers’ union negotiating with its management – the BJP! The job of the Opposition is to expose the BJP for non- governance, wasting public money and not giving basic amenities to all citizens. Why are Goans, even in these red alert times, not getting basic water?
I ask this of RGP/AAP and the newbies? Do they know the struggle year-round to cope with no 24X7 water? Or electricity? If they don’t want to demand the same from the BJP then we demand it from them. How many swimming pools are there in Goa and how much water do they consume in a year? Why is there no ban on the same till all Goans get 24X7 water?
Tourism is the major industry today. Coastal tourism is pathetic and must close. How many Goans are gainfully employed and with what qualifications? Is the same able to cater to all the colleges of engineering, arts, science and commerce? If yes, only then can we think of opening villages to tourism!
First, clean up coastal tourism. The CM says taxis are not using their digital meters for which subsidy was given. So they will bring in App-based taxis now. Why is the government not doing anything when hotels and restaurants are still charging 10% more than the bill?
All this and much more. Why is the Opposition silent? Have our 40 MLAs been voted to power by the TTAG?
­— R Fernandes, Margao

OBC RESERVATION
WHILE the State Election Commission (SEC) has notified reservations for women, SC and ST in the village panchayat elections, the chief minister of Goa has assured that spade work for OBC reservations is in process. Considering the settled position of the law arising out of the Supreme Court’s judgement, it is amply clear that no OBC reservation can be granted unless the triple test is followed.
Any attempt to introduce OBC reservation without adhering to this test will be thwarted by the High Court if a writ petition is preferred. It is unfortunate that the government could not take any concrete steps to provide OBC reservation by fulfilling the triple test.
Now it will be injustice to the OBC community as elections are slated to be held without OBC reservation. Government inaction in this regard has been a great folly.
­­­— Sadanand M. Raikar, Salcete.