PARRIKAR INSULTED!

ON Thursday night we saw a film on the so called “URI: Surgical Strike” over television.  It may be recalled that the surgical strike on the forward outpost of the Pakistan ISI was planned and carried out by the late defense  minister of India,  Manohar Parrikar. Parrikar planned and executed the elimination of ISI posts which were used to infiltrate terrorists into India. The film gives no credit to the late Manohar Parrikar.

Instead, all credit goes to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is not even a mention of the Raksha Mantri. An image is shown of an official in a blue shirt which is supposed to represent Manohar Parrikar. However, the defence minister is not shown briefing the commando team or congratulating them on the completion of the mission. The film also shows the Indian commandos in a very poor light. This is an insult to Manohar Parrikar and the Indian army.

NO BOOKS IN MUSLIM HOMES

THE chief of the Panaji branch of the Jamat-e-Islam Asif Hussain has lamented the intelectural lethargy wihin the Muslim community in Goa. Hussain has pointed out that many Muslim homes have expensive consumer durables like refrigerators and even washing machines, there are no books on the shelves. Hussain has called on Muslims to have a library in each house. Every child should be encouraged to read books for wider general knowledge.

The ability given by Allah should be towards helping the community. Hussain has pointed out Islam believes in education for women. Earlier women could not get education. But Islam has given the right to women along with various other rights which were not given even in western countries at one time.

According to Maulana Muhammad Iqbal Mulla it is important to extend education for Muslim women. The maulana pointed out that if you educate the women you empower the entire family. The Jamaat-e- Islam has started an educational power program called Saheen in association with Ashiyana Model school in Zuarinagar. The Jammat-e-Islam chief has suggested that Muslim children should not be limited to madrasas and they should enter the educational main stream. Spend on education instead of parties, says the chief of the Muslim community in Goa.

WEALTH DISTRIBUTION

THE Supreme Court has decided to examine the proposal for wealth redistribution proposed by the Congress manifesto. Rahul Gandhi has pointed out that inequality is very widespread in India. Rahul claims that the top 1% controls 90% of the wealth in the country. He has proposed a wealth survey to devise policies for redistribution of wealth.

Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has of course given this a twist and is shrilly complaining that Rahul wants to take away the “mangalsutra” of Hindu women to give the money to Muslims. This is an absurd take and not at all part of the Congress manifesto, but the SC has raised a much larger issue. “Is private property a community resource?” The late Justice Krishna Iyer ruled that private property was included in the public resources of the community. Whenever any government imposes taxes whether it is income tax or GST it is redistributing rent. The Mundkars & Tenants Act in Goa is part of the redistribution of wealth from landlords to tenants.

STORM IN VIRIATO’S TEA CUP!

THE remark of the north Goa Congress candidate Capt Viriato Fernandes that the Constitution of India has been imposed on has created quite a storm in a tea cup.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has warned that Viriato’s remarks is an attempt to break the country. Modi has pointed out that anti-national elements want to create small islands of isolation in the country. Today in Goa they are rejecting the constitution. Tomorrow they will commit a sin by rejecting Ambedkar’s Constitution in the country. The BJP has asked for the disqualification of Capt Viriato Fernandes.

PRAMOD SAWANT’S BIRTHDAY

GOA’S Chief Minister Pramod Sawant celebrated his birthday on April 24. In a full-page advertisement to all the dailies Pramod Sawant has been greeted by karyakarta, ministers and members of the legislative assembly. The ad is discreet about the CM’s age. He was available to members of the public between 10 am and 12 am at the BJP south Goa district office, as also at the north Goa district office between 5pm to 8pm. Pramod Sawant was made chief minister of Goa with the blessings of late chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

NIRMALA’S HUSBAND

THE husband of Nirmala Sitaraman, Dr Parakala Prabhakaran, was in Goa on March 8, 2024. Dr Prabhakaran is a severe critic of Narendra Modi. He believes that Modi will not get more than 200 seats in the Parliamentary election coming up. The London School of Economics Alumina also believes that there is a revolt within the BJP against Narendra Modi. The revolt is being led by none other than Aditya Yoginath and Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari but this rumor has to be confirmed.

TRIAL OF TRUMP

THE US presidential candidate Donald Trump is undergoing trial in a US school for trying to subortarge the last election in the United States. The American secret service offers protection both to the president and the presidential candidate. The Republican party has selected Trump as a candidate in the forthcoming elections. If Trump goes to jail the Secret Service may also may have to go to jail with him. Unlike in India, in the US even a convicted candidate can contest the election.

REVOLT BY US STUDENTS

ACROSS campuses in the United States students are protesting in favour of Palestine. The students are against any American intervention on the side of Israel. The students at New York University and Yale were arrested and freed for protesting in favour of Palestine. The Yale University was founded by a huge donation given by Yale who was a corrupt British governor of the Madras Presidency once upon a time. Students in the US and Europe have always supported the Arabs against the Israelis. Israel has the support of the US and UK government thanks to the very rich influential Jewish population.

ARROGANT MUSK

THE Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ticked off Elon Musk for the refusal of X (Facebook) to take down images of a bishop in Sydney. The Australian court has ordered the social media platform to hide some posts on a knife attack last week against a bishop during a service in his church. When X refuses to do so the Australian PM said the government would block the post if necessary.

RIOTS IN BENGOL

THERE were riots in West Bengal on the day of Ram Navami. The riots occurred in Murshidabad, a Muslim-majority district in West Bengal. The Kolkatta High Court has directed the Election Commission of India to suspend the parliamentary polls in the constituency. The HC has said that  people who cannot maintain peace should not be allowed to participate in the election.  

RAJ BHAVAN HOSTS TREE SYMPOSIUM

GOVERNOR of Goa PS Sreedharan Pillai says ancient and traditional India contributed to the vast knowledge humanity today has on trees. The governor added that the world has come to acknowledge India’s contributions in this field of knowledge of trees. He was speaking at the inaugural function of a  symposium dedicated to the traditional trees of India – “Vriksha Vygnanika Sadassu” held on April 21, 2024  at the Raj Bhavan in Panaji.

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Governor Pillai also said that our forefathers and sages followed sustainable practices which was conducive for the safeguarding of the environment. The  symposium is a good start and fruit of laborious planning inspired by his travels in the interiors of Goa where he saw the wealth of trees – which he has written about in his book titled “Heritage Trees of Goa.” 

The Governor hoped the symposium on trees will help in India’s growth as a nation with Goa playing its part in this journey through such initiatives. He added that Goa is a tourist hub and many tourists visit only beaches, but awareness should also be spread about Goa’s wealth of traditional trees. Once they know people will make special trips to visit trees with a different perspective about the important role trees play in life.

Present at the inaugural function were chairperson of the National Biodiversity Authority, C Achalender Reddy, Vice-Chancellor of Goa University Prof Harilal Menon, ex-Secretary of the Kerala Sahitya Academy Paipra Radhakrishnan and other dignitaries. The symposium aimed in creating awareness and deeper understanding of trees and the role they played in the life and culture of the people of India. Several experts including those from Goa presented papers on the many traditional trees of India. Five books written and compiled by Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai were also released on the occasion. The books are “Cuncolim” which is a compilation of information on the Cuncolim revolt, “Kaavi Art” which is on the exclusive heritage murals from Goa, “Icons of my Literature,”a book on prominent personalities and views of the governor, “Vikshit Bharat” and “Canacona,” the last is a book about the governor’s experience visiting Canacona taluka during his Goa Sampurna Yatra.

TALEIGAO FAMILY DYNASTY!

SOMETHING is ailing the increasingly overcrowded suburb of Taleigao. This is because the Monserrate family dynasty fiefdom has failed both capital city Panaji and Taleigao, says the very ground-oriented Aam Aadmi party activist Cecille Rodrigues and her Taleigaokars United candidates.
Cecille and her panel celebrated withdrawing nomination from Taleigao village panchayat elections on Sunday, April 21, 2024. On Saturday, three of the candidates from the Taleigaokars Unted panchayat panel withdrew their nominations and thereby allowing their opponents declared elected unopposed. Those who withdrew nominations were Mayur Uskaikar, Pratima Shirodkar and Candido Dias.
Instead of the team moaning about the events that transpired , they celebrated the fact that folk in Taleigao have been coming out and standing up against the vested interests represented by the Monserrate family. Says Francis Coelho, “We are extremely proud of the two youth and one senior citizen who at least gave it their best shot and came out in opposition of the vested interests that are steadily ruining the panchayat politics of Taleigao.…”
Cecille emphasized on the women power on her panel and how the Opposition tried to force her to withdraw her candidacy. Cecille says, “When our team encountered such immense pressure and they withdrew, it just goes to show how scared the opponents are and what lengths they will go to in order to retain their power. The Monserrate family of Jennifer Monserrate and son Rohit Monserrate are throwing their weight around in Taleigo, Panjim and Goa for almost forever now with no good results for the people. The power structure has become so stagnant there is no room for dynamic changes for the larger interests of improving the quality of life in this historical village of Taleigao which is so much a part of Goan history.
Regarding the Taleigao Panchayat elections, reaffirms Cecille, the Monserrate panel is scared and Babush Monserrate tried coercing, forcing and even offering money for all the candidates, “He said they wanted a good opposition but when they saw our nine panel members and got really afraid and Monserrate visited and called all the members to withdraw. Shame on the cowardness displayed by Monserrate and his goods. We are proud of the six who stood strong. BJP just knows how to coerce. We will give a tough fight.”
Family Raj in Taleigao must end. Taleigao residents point out that the makeovers are limited and most of Monserrate’s guarantees have failed. If you go around Camrabhat, Ward No 2, it is totally in a big mess. Go and see the ghetto like situation, it is very, very sad and pathetic. The quality of life is at its lowest level for residents. The open drains stink, the so called children’s playground has become a dump/scrap yard, the public toilets are stinking and behind the toilets there is open sewage spewing out. The air is polluted and one can barely feel like breathing.
So is Camrabhat not part of Swach Bharat? Are these government campaigns so fake? Do the citizens of Camrabhat deserve this miserable type of living? Is this “sab ka saath and sab ka vikas?” Another point Cecille Rodrigues raises, do you know that they collect petty money from the people to use public toilets built for them in Camrabhat, Rs2, Rs3 or Rs5?
Areas of Taleigao have missed out on the Swachh Bharat/Sab Ka Vikaas programs. Here are no taps, no water, no lights, no flush and septic tanks are leaking. It’s a narrative of fake promises to voters who pay house and garbage tax too. Taleigaokars should think if over before voting in the local panchayat elections 2024. Get rid of Monserrate dynastic family politics now, it is high time Taleigao showed the way to other Goans in similar situations!
. (As reported by a Taleigao resident)