Tourism Minister Manohar 'Babu' Ajgaonkar’s tirade against his government and administration saying that ‘nothing is moving’ in the State has come too little, too late for the people of Pernem. Speaking at a government function in Pernem, Ajgaonkar, who is facing the heat in the constituency he represents for failing to sort out the many civic issues within the constituency, has begun to belatedly realise that unless he tries and rebuilds the relationship with his constituents he is on a sticky wicket.
At a function in the presence of Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Ajgaonkar hit out at the PWD department over water supply, the department’s engineers who he said were doing no work, at the power department over interrupted power and at the road contractor over the shoddy state of the roads. In truth, Ajgaonkar has begun to talk against the shoddy government too late. The people of Pernem and Bardez taluka who have been suffering at the hands of the road contractors have been crying out loud against these issues for at least the last five years when the road works first began.
Repeated complaints, and even the news of accidents, fell on deaf years as the road contractors, the supervising PWD officials and successive ministers failed to pay heed to the cries of the people. Ajgaonkar’s tirade betrays an insincerity on his part. Being nervous that years of neglect of his constituency could now cost him his seat, the minister is belatedly trying to highlight the issues hoping to win over the confidence of his people once again.
Ajgaonkar’s predicament is not unique. Across Goa, from Pernem to Mandrem and Mayem to Mapusa legislators are nervous that years of neglect will come to haunt them at the elections.
It is not out of place to suggest that political musical chairs have taken precedence over real issues, and the plank of development used to jump parties and hold on to the rungs of power stands exposed because basic public infrastructure remained crippled and people continued to suffer, be it roads, electricity or water. It is evident that the power brokers chose their personal development over the welfare of common citizens.
Legislators who switched loyalties and violated a mandate on the false premise of development cannot be allowed to go scot-free. It is high time the populace comes together to hold them accountable for their actions instead of allowing them to conveniently deflect the blame onto a faceless bureaucracy. Elected representatives should also be made to mean what they say rather than allowing them to lie through their teeth when they claim that they say they are doing it for development.
If Ajgaonkar claims his neck is hurting while travelling on the potholed roads along the Pernem highway, what should be the fate of senior citizens and lesser privileged people who don’t enjoy any luxuries and have been enduring such agony? Has reality dawned on Ajgaonkar on the eve of an election? It's time legislators refrain from such cheap electoral theatrics.
