Bumpy rides
Many of the roads in Panaji are in a real bad condition and parking is not easily available anywhere. However Panaji is not the only place suffering from this ailment. The BJP's Dattaprasad Madhukar Naik, Mandal President of Taleigao Constituency, has his office at Caranzalem, and just adjacent to his office, the road is badly damaged with big potholes. It manages to stand out even on a road that stands supreme in all its pot-holed glory. From the start of the monsoon I've been asking Naik to request the PWD, CCP or Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate to help him to get this fixed but I think none of them could be of any help. Does a state have to be 'smart' to have something as simple as roads without giant potholes?
Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
Politicised morals
It is reported that banners carrying stern warning to politicians against entering the villages intensifying the Patel's quota stir in Gujarat whilst withdrawing bank deposits to the tune of 20 lakhs in one day are in progress. The Patels are enraged after alleged police atrocities with deaths of eight people as a result during the violence after their rally in Ahmedabad. Change and resultant turmoil can be good if its results are positive. However in a democracy and multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-religious society like India, politicians, especially those in power, have to be careful so that India does not burn from within. Today we see riots because the BJP is trying to wipe out the Nehru Gandhi legacy and replace it with their own prejudices. Stifling dissent, banning this and that, misuse of public funds and misuse of people's mandate is fraught with danger. Nepal was converted into a secular state in 2008 through a Parliamentary declaration. Violent protests followed when a recent proposal to revert Nepal as a Hindu state was overwhelmingly rejected by their Constituent Assembly. Are we going to be increasingly told, coerced and strong armed into what we are permitted to eat, drink, wear, behave, believe and even think in order to be an Indian?
John Eric Gomes, Porvorim
Electoral mistakes
In yet more empty rhetoric Narendra Modi now vows that he will do in 50 months what others have not done in 50 years obviously referring to the Congress. But over the last 16 months he has only been blabbering and merrily touring the world. And for the next 34 months that is all he will be up to. All indications are however that in corruption the BJP may pocket in 50 months what it took the Congress 50 years. Like Dr Manmohan Singh, now Narendra Modi too sits mum when his government is cornered. He promised the country the moon but has miserably failed to deliver. It has been only empty glossy talk all the way. With his one man rule, basic democratic values have been consigned to the wind.
Nothing has been done to strengthen the Right to Information Act while the Lok Pal is also not in place only affording ‘acche din’ for the corrupt. It is no secret that the Narendra Modi government is geared, controlled, and manipulated by the RSS and the VHP who are deeply entrenched in their very divisive ideology.
Fascism is at its peak, with sheer intolerance to criticism. L K Advani was not wrong in voicing his concern as recently as on June 18 this year that the repeat of Emergency could happen. The people of India are now seeing through NaMo’s vicious game plan with the chorus already bugling ‘Modi Hatao Desh Bachao’.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
