In 2012 we were led up a garden part by the BJP led by MP. We all believed that the then regime was roundly arrogant and downright corrupt. Going by our gut feel and believing the BJP would make a difference we gave them a massive and clear mandate.
Hind sight we are told gives one a 20/20 vision. A little more than three years down the line MP has been promoted to the centre. This assumes that there was nothing left for him to do in Goa and so his services were requisitioned for more pressing matters at the Center. One can completely see PM Modi’s thinking. Goa has no issue, there is no corruption, there is only development and of course grass all around.
Lets take corruption. There is none right. It was a figment or our imagination fueled by the BJP spin doctors to ensure they hit the right chord with the electorate. Consider, the PWD. We were told of tenders being broken up to by pass the rules, a PWD engineer was suspended and then the story went into hibernation as if nothing happened.
There was talk about ghost projects, surely the Government would have investigated these claims. It is very easy if one uses Google and the digital maps generated by the regional plan. The areas tendered can be marked and if there is duplication it means it is a ghost project. So since none are reported it means everything is clean.
There was a lot of noise and heat generated about the land deals in GIDC. Only one employee was suspended and later terminated. He was neither an authorised signatory nor a decision maker. Yet till today no one of any significance has been held accountable despite the fact that his termination means there was foul play and that others have to be involved. GSIA had studied the mess and illegalities in GIDC, an FIR was also filed. Yet till date nothing has happened and in another case where 50000sqm of land was fraudulently transferred which yours truly had exposed is in cold storage despite regular follow up, the implication is nothing wrong happened.
The biggest disappointment is the mining scam, who can forget the waving the papers in assembly stating what we all seemed to know, a 35000 crore mining scam, however subsequently it seems the powers that be decided nothing was wrong and to make up even gave environmental clearances to 88 leases in a day. Did the “black sheep” of the mining fraternity referred to by none other than Shivanand Salgaokar also get their leases renewed or was it only the good guys. So, while the Shah commission report points to wrong doing, the Supreme court felt the same way and wanted a clean up, in reality nothing was wrong or nothing wrong was done.
The Louis Berger case did provide excitement for sometime, but remember it was something or rather a hot potato that fell into the lap of the Government and they too did not want to handle it. It has surely and speedily gone off the radar.
We shouted ourselves hoarse and got the Regional Plan 2010 scrapped, this was done to prevent khazan lands, fields, orchards etc to be protected. It was assumed that the old regime had sold out to the builders.The new regime promised a quick decision on the same and till date we waiting for a new plan while all and sundry are making hay using the old plans.
However the same destruction is now being allowed through a back door called the “Investment Promotion Board”. A parliamentary committee has already shown a red flag as the IPB is dangerous as it supersedes every other law and Article 14 of the constitution where loacl bodies are being bypassed. This has now allowed hotels and banned industry in areas which are protected. Strangely the Government acted proactively to help coconut farmers who face hardship because the had to apply to cut an old tree. Forgetting that cutting and old tree meant planting another. They allowed coconut trees to be cut without permission, the biggest beneficiaries were the projects passed by the IPB.
Yet the same Government forgot that liquor as an industry is not allowed to set up and existing units cannot expand in industrial estates. The IPB forgot to see its own mandate that liquor is not a thrust area and gave permission to a unit which cannot set up in any industrial estate in the State.
When one sits back and compares, the situation then and now, one can clearly see that there is no corruption in either regime, both regimes have rationalised their decisions. The decisions taken then and now may be approached differently but they are the same, anti people. The BJP needs to introspect quickly what it promised and what it is delivering and make good their promises as soon as possible.
It is possible they believe with the opposition in disarray except for the three musketeers or generally silenced with the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads they are canting to victory in the next election. It will be prudent if they do not take the electorate for granted.
