TG: Was the position given to you, to do a balancing act toconsolidate catholic support during very troubled times?
FD: The relationshipand respect that I have got goes beyond that. Nitin Gadkariji (the BJPpresident) has said that I would be appointed Deputy Chief Minister, not thatit mattered. It didn’t happen then and I’m happy it has happened now. Nothingchanges but yes, it’s a recognition?
TG: I’ll ask thisagain. Was your appointment an insurance policy to consolidate Catholicsupport?
FD: I’ll put it thisway. Before the elections, Gadkariji, Manohar and me were in a closed room andhe (Gadkari) asked what will be the most important factor in the elections. Isaid clearly that 30% of tickets had to be given to Catholics. They will be theforefront of the anger against the Congress. That decision made us win. So in asense I’m happy that Catholics will see it as a reward. For me, I have alwaysbelieved in in the BJP and my friend Parrikar even through tough times.
TG: Are you referringto controversial decisions he took in his last tenure like the reportedcancelling of the Good Friday holiday, vandalising road signs by NagueshKarmali etc?
FD: Firstly the GoodFriday holiday was never cancelled. Propaganda overtook reality. I ask, show mea single notification to the effect. There was a suggestion that Hindus andCatholics may work during each other’s’ festival holidays to increaseproductivity. Yes, but I agree thatthere was pressure. My wife sometimes felt like an outcast, but I always toldher not to worry. In times such as these I went to my friend Manohar and I wasalways satisfied.
TG: It’s arelationship not really understood or known in the public domain
FD: It doesn’t haveto be. But we go back a very long way. We used to walk to St Xaviers college inMapusa, chatting away as B Sc students. He wanted to make a difference eventhen, tough we never realised that we would both be in government in thesepositions.
TG: But he prettymuch has his own mind, even bordering on dictatorship perhaps as his criticspoint out
FD: He listens tome. But yes, he has his own way of functioning, which I think has room foralterations…
TG: ..such as readilygiving deadlines for projects, but not always achieving them strictly?
FD: (smiles) That’shim, but his intentions are genuine to drive home a message of urgency and agovernment in motion. But I agree that it has its fallout.
TG: Have younger,first time MLAs, especially the Catholic ones, Michael Lobo, Glen Ticlo, CarlosAlmeida, been given their due
FD: They must havepatience. There is time. But I agree that the party should have spoken to themmuch more to make them comfortable. AFriday meeting is held regularly for all MLAs to discuss projects and issues
TG: Is zero tolerance to corruption possible? Also look atthe police force and its ills
FD: The Goa policeis corrupt from top to bottom. Governments change, they don’t. I asked theChief Minister whether zero tolerance was at all possible. He said ‘if Isuspend everyone, there will be no police”
TG: On inquiries incorruption cases like the SEZ scam and the bunglings in PWD no action seemsvisible. They seem buried
FD: We shouldn’tprosecute and fail. We prefer to be slow but reach irrefutable conclusions. Weare going nowhere and will be held accountable
TG: Lastly and mostseriously, the state is on the brink of financial collapse with the collapse ofmining. Has the government handled the crisis well, or at all?
FD: This governmenttook action, even before the Shah commission report, with its mining policy. Ittook action after it too. We want mining to start. The government needs money,people in the mining belt need money. It is one of the biggest challenges beforethis government.
