IT IS unusual for the governor of a state to comment on a particular crime but Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai did just that, when three persons were arrested for being allegedly involved in the Goa government jobs-for-cash scam that rocked the state.
This scam rocked the Goa legislative assembly with the Opposition trying to disrupt the Legislative Assembly proceedings over allegations of rampant corruption such as the cash-for-jobs scam, as well as the government’s decision to curtail the winter session to just two days.
When the house met at 11.30am, the Opposition members rose to their feet brandishing placards, accusing the government of shying away from taking action against corruption. “Cash of job scam, the government does not have shame, that is why it is running away by holding a two-day session,” Goa Forward MLA Vijai Sardesai’s placard declared.
As Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai began his speech, the Opposition remained on their feet, holding up their placards in protest. Just minutes before the session began, Opposition legislators criticized the government’s decision to shorten the assembly session, calling it insufficient to address the state’s critical issues.
Governor Sreedharan Pillai spoke extensively on the government jobs-for-cash scam by stating that 43 persons had been arrested and charge sheets had already been filed. “My government has taken these cases to a logical conclusion by sharing information with other agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and other agencies to investigate who were the brains behind the scam and ensure all of them were booked.”
Earlier in the day, videos of salwar-clad women with their faces covered being taken to police jeeps were circulated among the public. “My government has set up a commission to ensure that government jobs were given to the needy and meritorious,” he said. Reading from a prepared text, the Governor said: “My government will not spare anybody who is involved in the scam.”

SANJAY SINGH
TILL December, the Goa Police had filed 33 FIRs and the Enforcement Directorate had registered 11 ECIRs which are equal to FIRs in economic parlance. Aam Admi Party leader Sanjay Singh had alleged some months ago that the wife of the Goa chief minister was involved in the scam, which resulted in Sulakshana Sawant filing a Rs100-crore defamation case against him.
Sanjay Singh had to backpedal by giving an undertaking to a court in Goa that he would not make defamatory statements against BJP leader Sulakshana Sawant, the wife of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, until January 24 or till he filed a reply to the plea against him, whichever was later. Sanjay Singh made his highly defamatory statements during a press conference alleging that she was involved in the “cash-for-jobs scam.”
The plaintiff also asked that the AAP leader be restrained from republishing or sharing on social media the video and transcripts of the press conference in which the allegedly defamatory statements had been made. It is clarified here that neither the Goan Observer nor this writer believes an iota of these allegations but is commenting on them purely because of the public interest they garnered.
Keeping all these allegations aside — what is fact is that the Opposition has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding a CBI probe into this scandal and also seeking a judicial probe. “If the government has nothing to fear, why don’t they agree to a judicial probe? The findings of the retired high court judge will match those of the police. Why not agree to our demand for a judicial probe?” Opposition leaders like Vijay Sardesai have demanded.
To return to the Legislative Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said: “One day is not enough for the assembly session. The government is bulldozing and suspending bills without proper discussion. The police department is involved in cash frauds, law and order is deteriorating, and unemployment is rising. Issues like Mhadei remain unresolved, while the government focuses only on events. I hope the Governor addresses these concerns in his speech,” he declaimed.
Alemao kept giving details of all the ills plaguing Goa which did not evoke a response from the treasury benches. Vijay Sardesai added the government was making a mockery of the Constitution and was murdering democracy. “Several pressing issues, such as coal, job scams, frauds in the police department, and deteriorating law and order need to be debated, but the government is avoiding them. The government has institutionalized scams, allowing corrupt officials to escape punishment by paying fines,” he alleged.

NO ANSWERS
CONGRESS MLA Altone D’Costa accused the government of being afraid of the Opposition and unwilling to answer their questions. AAP legislator Venzy Viegas joined his colleagues in questioning whether the state could achieve “vikas” through such a short session.
It cannot be disputed that it is unprecedented for the Goa Legislative Assembly to curtail the session to just two days, which is definitely insufficient to transact all the business of the house. It appears probable that no state Legislative Assembly has done this in the past except for pressing circumstances.
In the final analysis, whether the truth will emerge remains to be seen, because public memory is short and this scam will be forgotten by the time the next assembly elections comes!