Goa's chief minister Pramod Sawant, who does not shy from making overtly Hindutva shaded public comments off and on, was earlier this week caught in the middle of a meat-eating row in the temple town of Udupi.
The Udupi block Congress chief accused Sawant of visiting the Shri Krishna temple there and received 'prasada' from the Paryaya seer after eating non-vegetarian food.
The issue gained traction in the local press there as the BJP had earlier accused the Congress' former chief minister Siddaramaiah of eating non-vegetarian food and visiting the same temple.
But who came to Sawant's defence was the director of Udupi's super-speciality eye hospital Dr Krishna Prasad, who had hosted the lunch for Sawant and his delegation there.
Dr Prasad insisted that the Goa chief minister ate only "vegetarian food" at the lunch he had hosted.
What goes around, does come back around.
Ordinance and so called death of democracy
Digambar Kamat has been in the news here, there and everywhere over the last several days for reportedly being the prime mover of the Ordinance to do away with the 'secret ballot' mode of electing chairpersons of civic bodies.
No doubt that the former chief minister, in his new BJP avtaar, has been the first beneficiary of the Ordinance, managing to take control of the Margao Municipal Council by installing his aide Damu Shirodkar as the chairperson, that too after less than a fortnight of a humiliating defeat.
Heading the chorus of critics in this 'murder of democracy' charade against Kamat, BJP and the Ordinance, of course was Goa Forward Party supremo Vijai Sardesai, who with swift and deft moves was responsible for the brief triumph in the Margao civic body.
Sardesai's eloquent criticism of the Ordinance notwithstanding, the shunning of the 'secret ballot' mode of voting for political office is not a new trend in Goa. On a larger, State level canvas, such brazen and instant demolition of a democratic tradition was witnessed in the State's highest temple of democracy -- Goa legislative assembly -- back in 1995 and Kamat was then on the losing side of the fence.
It was when the secret ballot methodology to elect the Speaker of Goa legislative assembly was abandoned mid-way of an election after the government of the day realised its candidate was staring at defeat. The counting of votes cast by the 40 MLAs was abandoned, rules of procedure and conduct of business suspended and lo: Sirsat was elected but Tomazinho was selected to be the Speaker.
Since then, speakers of the Goa legislative assembly have had "show of hands" to get themselves elected and preside over the cancer of defection that has repeatedly afflicted the polity of Goa.
'Death of Democracy' was then!
Who is the boss in Mapusa?
So who calls the shots in Mapusa? More than a week after the local MLA’s clear instructions, Mapusa Chairperson Shubhangi Vaigankar refuses to step down from her chair.
Looks like MLA, Joshua D’Souza is also running out of ideas even as his ruling group have no guts to bring a no-trust motion which will be viewed as indiscipline by the party. The recent hafta charge against the three councillors has further spoiled whatever little chances remained to take the resignation plan forward.
While the tension between the two continues to simmer, both the MLA and the chairperson are seen in each other’s company at official functions in and around the town. Earlier this week, both were seen exchanging pleasantries at a foundation laying ceremony at the Housing Board, Mapusa. So is there a possibility that both have decided to bury the hatchet at least for the moment? Whatever the case, the chairperson seems to have emerged on top in this round one.
Hafta row pushes resignation to backburner
Politics is dynamic, they say. Just when the demand for the resignation of the chairperson could reach a crescendo, the Mapusa council was hit with the tsunami of the hafta demand row. Three councillors and the father of one have been embroiled in an unnecessary controversy. The sopo contractor’s reply to the show-cause notice issued to him has gone viral on social media along with the names of the three councillors.
We call the controversy 'unnecessary' because, had the councillors not taken the step to file an official complaint against the contractor and settled the hafta demand amicably, it would all have been swept under the carpet and nothing would have surfaced on record.
‘Tu bi chup, hum bhi chup. Hum sab bhatenge hamare beech chup chup…’ would have been the best policy in such deals.
But then the two novice councillors (they are first-time councillors) were ill-advised. The controversy, however, has possibly given a new lease of life to the chairperson, Shubangi Vaigankar, as the demand for her resignation has got overshadowed by the new development. Well, luck favours the brave! Ain’t it?
Gaude in the dock?
The controversy over the repair and renovation contract of the iconic Kala Academy building is refusing to die, much to the chagrin of the 'Shahjahan' of Goan politics -- Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude.
Gaude this week came under attack from one of the BJP's own spokesperson, triggering speculation whether it is an inhouse coup to ease the minister out of the cabinet and clear the decks for Dr Pramod Sawant re-jig his cabinet and close the deal with the eight Congress defectors.
Gaude wasted no time to climb down from his bravado on the Kala Academy contract and seek to pass on the blame on to the Public Works Department. Cunning indeed, with the then PWD Minister Deepak Pauskar nowhere on the scene to face the music.
Strangely, however, the new PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral, has taken up cudgels on behalf of his predecessor. Is it because the Curchorem legislator himself has the damocles sword hanging over his head following the sand mining shootout there?
Interesting times ahead.
Chimbel highway conundrum
One year, two years or three years? This question is troubling the Chimbel locals over the time it would take to complete the flyover at the accident prone junction where many lives have been lost.
The doubts have arisen as PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral initially informed that the contractor has been given one year to complete the flyover project. However when a delegation of the locals met a senior PWD official he inforned that the contractor has been given two years for completion of the project.
It, however, did not end there as St Cruz MLA Rudolf Fernandes informed reporters recently that as per the bar chart submitted by the contractor it would take three years. With three time limits given, the locals are a confused lot and are seeking a factual answer on the timeframe to complete the flyover. Question is: who is capable enough to clear the doubts of the locals on the timeframe?
(Compiled by Ashley do Rosario with inputs from Agnelo Pereira and Manuel Vaz)
