By Rajan Narayan

AND a few stray thoughts for yet another Saturday. For a Saturday following the week when the Goa Bharatiya Janata Party started cracking down on former Congress Catholic MLAs. For a Saturday following the week when the success of the 2024 St Francis Xavier Exposition concluded on Saturday, January 04, has helped to consolidate the Catholic vote bank. For a Saturday following the week when the Muslim minority community seems to be mobilizing itself to contest the 2027 assembly election. For a Saturday following the week of growing anger against the migrant Muslim community in the United States. For a Saturday following the week on the new epidemic called the HMPV which has its origins again in China.
AND a few stray thoughts on the Goa Bhartiya Janata Party starting to crack down on former Congress Catholic MLAs. BJP’s President Sadanand Shet Tanavade has served notice to Law Minister Alexio Sequeira to either enrol members or quit. The BJP is upset with Alexio Sequeira as over 90% of the voters in the Nuvem constituency voted against the BJP candidate Pallavi Dempo in the Lok Sabha elections. Alexio Sequeira who is one of the Congress MLAs who defected to the BJP blackmailed the party into appointing him as minister for law and environment.
The BJP was forced to drop loyalist Nilesh Cabral, minister for public works in the Pramod Sawant government. By coincidence, Nilesh Cabral has started complaining that the chief minister has neglected his constituency. Many of the Congress MLAs who defected, particularly the Catholic MLAs, have not been able to persuade their voters to switch their loyalty to the BJP. Even in Margao former chief minister Digambar Kamat was not able to secure the majority of the votes for Pallavi Dempo.
The BJP is very upset that despite having the support of 15 of the 20 MLAs from South Goa, the BJP lost the South Goa parliament seat by 13,500 votes. With the election coming up in 2027, the BJP is stepping up the pressure on its MLAs to enrol the maximum number of members in every constituency.
However, the BJP seems to be quite happy with Babush Monserrate who is reported to have enrolled as many as 15,000 new members to the BJP. Never mind that all these members are migrants and very few Catholics have enrolled as BJP members. The BJP has recently appointed Mandal presidents who are supposed to mobilize support for the BJP even in constituencies that did not vote for the BJP. The Mandal presidents are a threat to the existing MLAs as their alternate can be made for the constituency.

SFX EXPOSITION CLOSES
AND a few stray thoughts on the success of the 2024 St Francis Xavier Exposition which concluded on Saturday, January 04, which has helped to consolidate the Catholic vote bank. It is also clear that despite the support extended by the Pramod Sawant government the Church in the country and in Goa does not support the Narendra Modi government. The church journal “Renevesso” has consistently talked about the need to preserve communal harmony and promote secularism.
Goa of course is an outstanding example of communal harmony. Though the Catholic MLAs may have jumped to the BJP in their greed for power the voters have not followed them. In fact, there is every possibility that the Catholic votes will not go to the BJP candidates in the next election.
It is been estimated that over 80 lakh pilgrims venerated the relics of St Francis Xavier during the 45-day exposition. Apparently, Catholics from all over the country and even from Pakistan and Sri Lanka, participated in the SFX Exposition. Anxious to retain the Catholic vote the double-engine government both at the Centre and in the state of Goa extended full support to the 2024 Exposition.
Indeed, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was personally present when the SFX relics were brought down and kept in the Sacristy. Never mind that the CM attracted a lot of heat for casually putting his hands in his pocket while standing beside the casket. Pramod Sawant was more careful when he attended the mass at the Bom Jesus Basilica grounds before the relics were taken in a procession to the Bom Jesus Basilica.
Thanks to the government support and the promotion of the Exposition at the Vatican, the Exposition was a grand affair. There was a sound and light show depicting the life of St Francis Xavier. There were also performances by the Shillong choir. Through the grand exposition, the church reminded the BJP government in Goa that it was still a major force in Goan politics. The church always had a major influence on minority community voters in elections at all levels in Goa.
Indeed, the late Manohar Parrikar was repeatedly elected to the Legislative Assembly primarily due to the support of the Catholics of Miramar. It was Parrikar who first gave BJP tickets to Catholic MLAs in South Goa. One of the most loyal BJP leaders was Francis Dsouza the revenue minister in the Manohar Parrikar government. Francis Dsouza was a school classmate of Manohar Parrikar. His son Joshua, who was given the ticket for the Mapusa constituency after his father’s death, won the seat and is considered a very loyal BJP leader. The entire BJP cabinet was present at the wedding of Joshua, recently.
The defeat of Pallavi Dempo was a warning for state BJP leaders not to take the minority community for granted. The hugely successful SFX exposition is another reminder of how strong the Catholic community in Goa continues to be.

MUSLIMS MOBILIZING
AND a few stray thoughts on the Muslim community which seems to be mobilizing itself to contest the 2027 assembly election. The Muslim community which now comprises almost 12% of the population is concentrated in constituencies like Valpoi, Mormugoa, Margao, and even in Bicholim, Panaji and Taleigao. The community may not have the numbers to win the elections on its own but can certainly influence the outcome.
If the two minority communities of the Catholics and Muslims support each other they can even form the government in the state.
Former chief minister, Digambar Kamat, who is now in the BJP, gets elected due to the support of the Muslims of Moti Dongor. Similarly, in Tiswadi, Antanasio Babush Monserrate has the support of the sizeable Muslim vote bank. Unlike in the past organizations like the Jamaat-e-Islami are becoming more and more vocal in their opposition to Hindutva fundamentalism. The Muslim community demonstrated its clout when they forced the BJP government to take action against the cow protection brigade which targeted Muslim beef traders on the eve of Christmas. It may be recalled that the beef traders went on a 48-hour strike on the eve of Christmas.
Pramod Sawant has been walking the tightrope between the Hindutva activists and the pressure from minority communities. In all the years since Liberation in 1961, Goa has had only one Muslim MLA, namely former speaker Shaikh Hassan, who was elected from Mormugoa.
However, at the panchayat level Muslims have actually participated and won the elections. There were sarpanch of Korgao Abdul Karim in the Pernem taluka. With the growing Muslim population there is an increasing demand for expanding existing burial grounds and creating new space. There has been also demand for land for madrasas. There has been concern among the Muslim community in the country over claims that prominent Muslim places of worship were built on the ruins of Hindu temples destroyed by the Muslim sultans during the Mughal era of history.
Shockingly, there are new claims that even the famous Ajmer dargah is built on the ruins of a Hindu temple. Brainwashed Hindutva fanatics are now finding a shivling behind and below every major mosque in the country. This, despite the Freedom of Worship Act, which offers protection to the places of worship of the minority communities.
In a twist to the tale, some maulana are claiming that land belonging to the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board has been usurped by the Kumbh Mela authorities. The Maha Kumbh which is celebrated once in two years at Prayag is all set to begin and is expected to attract 40 crore pilgrims.
The BJP, both at the national level and in Goa, has to accept and accommodate the aspirations of its growing minority communities. Absurd as it may sound, some Hindu leaders including Modi are asking Hindu couples to have more children — so that Hindus are not reduced to being minorities in their own country.

GROWING ANGER IN USA
AND a few stray thoughts on the growing anger against the migrant Muslim community in the United States of America. This follows a terror attack on a Christmas market in New Orleans. The suspect is Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, who drove his car in crowds of revellers, killing 14 people. Subsequent investigations revealed that he had explosives at home. The suspect is reported to be a member of the ISI Inter-Services Intelligence Wing of Pakistan.
This is the second terror attack by a migrant Muslim in the US. There have been several terror attacks in Europe and in the UK. Never mind that at least in the UK Muslims occupy many high positions in the government. Till recently the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan was a Muslim, whose has reportedly living in Mormugao in Goa. The main problem is that Muslims in Europe, UK and USA, refuse to integrate with the local communities. Since Narendra Modi and the BJP came to power in India there is now also a Hindutva wave in the UK and US which is attracting much attention.
Recently, the American state of Pennsylvania, declared a public holiday for Diwali. In sharp contrast, Hindus have been targeted in Bangladesh. The head of ISKCON which is devoted to lord Krishna was arrested and has been tried for sedition in Bangladesh. The ground reality is that with right-wing governments coming to power in the US and in Europe, the countries have become less and less tolerant towards migrants. The hate merchants will get stronger when Donald Trump finally becomes the president of the US.

IS HMPV HERE?
AND a last stray thought on the new epidemic called the HMPV which has its origins again in China. The world and India are threatened with another pandemic like the coronavirus. The human metapneumovirus is again a respiratory disease. The symptoms are the same as that of a common cold, namely cough, sneezing, runny nose, and a sore throat. Seven cases of HMPV have so far been detected in India, mostly among kids.
As usual children and senior citizens are most vulnerable to the new virus. In the case of individuals whose immunity levels are low, the virus can cause pneumonia and require hospitalization. Like the coronavirus the infection spreads through respiratory droplets. So perhaps it is time to put on your masks again when in company. The incubation period of this HMPV is between eight and 15 days. To avoid or prevent the new threat to your health you are advised to wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Cover your mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing and stay at home when you are sick so that you don’t infect others.
As usual, the private hospitals are making money because the GMC does not offer any tests for the new virus. The test is very expensive and only private Manipal Hospital is charging Rs18,000 per test.