By Rajan Narayan

AND a few stray thoughts for yet another Saturday. For a Saturday following the week when there was a revolt within the BJP over the cash-for-jobs scandal. For a Saturday following the week when a special electric vehicle will be used to transport the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier from the Bom Jesus Basilica to the Se Cathedral. For a Saturday following the week when the 55th International Film Festival started on Wednesday, November 20. For a Saturday following the week when the government of India imposed a fine of Rs213 crores on Meta for unauthorised sharing data. For a Saturday following the week when there is increasing intolerance by Hindu religious organisations regarding minority citizens.
AND a few stray thoughts on the revolt within the BJP over the cash-for-jobs scandal. Former BJP Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has claimed that young people who get 90% plus in their examination are not considered for government jobs. Laxmikant Parsekar, who was a former principal and is the present chairman of Harmal Panchkroshi Secondary School and
HPSM’s Ganpat Parsekar College of Education in Arambol, insists that on the other hand students with barely just 40% are getting government jobs.
This is a clear indication that government jobs are filled not by merit but sold to the highest bidder. Parsekar has suggested that there is corruption right at the top. Parsekar has joined Babush Monserrate in demanding a judicial inquiry into the cash-for-job scam. The Speaker of the Goa Assembly, who is a senior member of the BJP, Ramesh Tawadkar, has also expressed his view for investigation into the cash-for-job scam. He has demanded a Special Investigative Team (SIT) to probe the cash-for-job scam.
The Director General of Police has confirmed that no SIT has been set up. In any case, the police cannot set up an SIT without orders from Home Minister Pramod Sawant. Revenue Minister Babush Monserrate who has also been accused of selling jobs has demanded a judicial enquiry. Babush has also been insisting that those who pay the bribes should also be arrested. Babush has argued that those who have paid the bribe have done so because they do not qualify on merit. Babush has ridiculed the suggestion of the chief minister that the assets of the accused should be confiscated. Babush has claimed that the government has no right to confiscate anybody’s assets without a court order. Babush insists that the jobs cannot be offered without the knowledge of the minister.
It is clear that the finger is been pointed at senior ministers in the cabinet including the TCP and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and Revenue Minister Babush Monserrate. The complaints are increasing as those who promised jobs are not able to deliver.
There are very few government vacancies. The chief minister is on record claiming that there are 2,000 government vacancies but these are for contract jobs for multitasking staff and drivers. There are no vacancies for Class 3 jobs like LDC clerks. There will be pressure on Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to hold a judicial enquiry into the cash-for-job scam. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has been insisting that the vacancies will be filled through the State Selection Commission (SSC). There is pressure on CM to let individual departments manage the recruitment.

EV TRANSPORT AT SFX
AND a few stray thoughts on the special electric vehicle which will be used to transport the secret relics of St Francis Xavier from the Bom Jesus Basilica to the Se Cathedral. In the past, the casket was carried by volunteers on their shoulders. The electric vehicle has been designed like the mausoleum which now contains the casket. The chassis for the electric vehicle have been supplied by a Chennai company Sekar Manivel of EasyGo. The electric vehicle has been designed by south Goa architect Royla Fernandes. It has been specially decorated and put together by the parish priest of Betalbatim, Fr Adrian Furtado who is also director of the blessed blessed Joseph Vax Enterprises was expected to be transported to old Goa on the eve of the Exposition starting November 21, 2024.
The arrangements have been supervised by Fr Lawrence Fernandes, a Pilar-based priest who is part of the Exposition Committee. Fr Lawrence Fernandes claims that he had suggested an electric vehicle as there was confusion when the casket was transported manually on the shoulders of volunteers. During the last exposition, there was a lot of queue jumping and nobody to guard the casket at the end. It has therefore been decided to use an electric vehicle to transport the relics from Bom Jesus Basilica to Se Cathedral this time.
Even the lowering of the casket from its present site high up and loading into the electric vehicle will be done by 12 Catholic police inspectors. The police have been chosen as they know how to observe discipline and obey orders. We want the police to work silently and not talk with each other or use mobile phones when they are loading the casket from the exit of the Bom Jesus Basilica to the special electric vehicle.
The carriage is built on the chassis of a 14-seater electric vehicle. The police inspectors selected to carry the casket includes Filomena Costa (PI, GRP, ‘A” Coy), Diogo Gracias (PI Cuncolim), Brendon D’Souza (PI, SPCR), Melito Fernandes (PI, ACB), John Fernandes (PI, Security), Nathan Almeida (PI, Fatorda), Marlon D’Souza (PI, traffic cell, Mapusa), Terrence Vaz (PI, SCRB), Alvito Rodrigues (PI, rraffic Cell; Colva), Theron D’Costa (PI, Betul- coastal), Melson Colaco (PI, Verna) and Edwin Dias (PSI, old Goa). The police officers will be called “queue-marshals.”
Preparations for the Exposition starting on November 21, 2024 and are almost complete. However, pilgrims from outside the state are finding it difficult to get affordable accommodation as the Exposition is taking place in the peak season. Indeed, the Exposition continues through Christmas and the New Year.

IFFI 2024
AND a few stray thoughts on the International Film Festival of India which will commence on Wednesday, November 20 with the inaugural event taking place as usual at the Dr Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Kadamba plateau. However, things are running so late that even on Tuesday, November 19 it was not clear who would be the chief guest at the opening ceremony. The good news is that Delilah Lobo is again the vice-chairperson of the Entertainment Society of Goa and with her practical insight will be able to troubleshoot whatever problems which may crop up during the duration of IFFI. She is back in charge of the film festival on behalf of the government of Goa.
While the organisers claim a “grand budget” for the festival no details were forthcoming at the first chief minister’s press conference held on Nov 18. It’s anyone guess how much the Central and how much the State will be spending on IFFI this year; the unofficial being bandied about is something like Rs27 crore plus, plus we hear. Clearly there would be a lot of sponsorship coming up for IFFI has turned more and more commercial over the years since 2004 when it first moved to Goa courtesy then chief minister, Manohar Parrikar.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, most Goans don’t seem to be interested in IFFI. Of the 6,000 plus delegates registered for IFFI, the majority are from outside the state and a large contingent is made up of students for whom is IFFI is virtually free. At the PC Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant was pleading for more Goans to register as delegates.
The curtain raiser PC revealed that more than 270 films would be screened in the nine-day film festival. Of the 270 films 140 would be international films from 81 different countries; there are 14 Asian premiers and 106 Indian premieres. Plus and as usual there will be master classes conducted by renowned film personalities, senior directors and cinematographers, and actors, at the Kala Academy.
The opening film is the Australian award winner “Better Man.” The National Film Development Corporation has organised its Film Bazaar at the Marriott Hotel and the frontage running along river Mandovi promenade here which is quite extensive.
While the ESG premises have been spruced up the approach roads to the INOX continue to be in bad shape with the backdrop of the Panaji market. Delegates and media have to download the IFFI App and book tickets online for films they want to see.

FINE ON META
AND a few stray thoughts on when the government of India imposed a fine of Rs213 crore on Meta for unauthorised sharing of data. WhatsApp may claim that it has end-to-end encryption. This means that the messages exchanged will be only known to sender and the one who receives the message. This has been used as the excuse by Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, to refuse information on criminal cases and cyber fraud. But apparently, it turns out that WhatsApp has been sharing user data with other companies which are part of the Meta group.
Many of us must have noticed a small message thereby WhatsApp telling subscribers that their data will be shared with Facebook and other Meta group companies. Moreover, those who use WhatsApp do not have the option of refusing the share information. The WhatsApp service is on a “take it or leave it basis.”
Three years ago in 2019 WhatsApp changed its 2016 policy of sharing data with Facebook and removed the earlier option to leave the group. The information on WhatsApp users is used by Meta to increase its monopoly on online advertising. Several countries have imposed fines on WhatsApp for violation of privacy by sharing data with Meta.
There also issues of Facebook lifting content from print media all over the world. Facebook does not pay for material lifted from print media. Australia and even the United States have asked Meta to compensate print publishers for material used without permission by Meta. There is growing concern about the monopoly of Meta on online advertising.

INCREASING HINDU INTOLERANCE
AND a last stray thought on the increasing intolerance of Hindu religious organisations towards minority citizens. The organisers of the Kumbh Mela this year are insisting that only Hindu officers including security personnel like police should be posted for the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela is the largest gathering of Hindu saints and priests and attracts 50 lakh people annually. The Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh has been taken over by the Swami Yogi Aditiyanath government which has banned Muslims and Catholic officials from being involved in the organisation of the religious mela.
In Andhra Pradesh where the Tirupathi temple is based the temple trust has passed a resolution asking non-Hindus employed by the board to take voluntary retirement or a transfer to some other government department. The newly formed Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams TTD has pass a resolution that only Hindus should be employed at the richest Hindu shrine in the world.
There are over 300 Muslims and Catholics working for the TTD. It may be recalled that there was a controversy over the ghee used in making the traditional Tirupathi ladoo being contaminated with beef tallow. Former Chief Justice of the SC DY Chandrachud however refuted the charge that adulterated ghee was used to make the prasadam ladoo.