On Tuesday, fish in Goa may have had their best time in theyear, technically. Not because of the champion of their natural rights tospawn, late Mathany Saldanha was there to crack down on deep sea mechanisedtrawlers but because the fishing trawlers were docked and the fisherwomen hadnothing to sell. Ironically, there was nobody to champion the rights of Goa’sfishermen, despite Matanhy’s wife now in his chair attempting to complete hisunfinished dreams.
Alina Saldhana, wife of the late Mathany Saldhana was sweptinto power unopposed as her Opposition crumbled at the prospect of another BJPlandslide. She herself emphasised her ascension asserting that she was elected‘unopposed’. But a little under a year later, the fishermen have never felt aslonely as now. The current crisis of the fishermen’s identity is that ofMathany’s legacy itself. A legacy that Alina has failed to match.
A little while ago, when one of Matanhy’s closestsupporters, Agnel Rodrigues demanded the transfer of the Velsao villagepanchayat secretary, she refused. According to Rodrigues, she allegedly said “Igot elected unopposed, you have not elected me and hence I know what is best”.The incident left not only former Mathany aides shocked but has signaled therise of a new motley group consisting of politically inexperienced peoplesurrounding and advising Alina.
Her political inexperience came to the fore when, threemonths ago former Cortalim BJP Block President Damodar Naik, created a tremorat a public meeting in front of the chief minister saying: “Despite having aminister we are orphaned after the demise of Mathany sir.” Naik’s frustrationand anger at the meeting has alarmed BJP’s state high command. Since then BJPGeneral Secretary Narendra Saviokar and the chief minister are closelymonitoring developments in Cortalim.
However, the Environment Minister denies she had been rudeto her supporters “The words, I am elected unopposed and people have notelected me’ were never uttered by me”, she said.
She added, “What am I for here, if not for the people? I mayhave been elected unopposed, but people have voted for Mathany and that’s thereason I am here.”
In another recent incident when a no-confidence motion wasmoved against Sancaole Village Panchayat Sarpanch, by seven panch membersincluding those loyal to the BJP, it once again showed Alina in poor light. Shecould not convince the rebel panchas till date despite having two rounds ofmeetings with the chief minister.
A year down the line, Alina is more alien to her constituencyas her late husband’s legacy remains irreplaceable. As Velsao fisherman VincentRodrigues says “We have not seen a Mathany like charisma in her. She came toour village twice and briefed us about her action plan for fishermen butnothing has materialised”. For Alina, getting down to the grassroots is a callthat she has to address if she needs her husband’s magic stay alive.
To be fair to her, though, she cannot be Matanhy. And thepeople of Cortalim and the fisherfolk at sea just do not get it.
