It is observed that every year for the feast mass of St Francis Xavier on December 3, the front rows of chairs are reserved for politicians.
The question that arises is whether legislators should be given this special privilege of sitting in front for the feast mass. This practice needs to be done away with.
It would be in the fitness of things to reserve the first few rows of chairs for the elderly persons who are attending the feast mass. No legislator has raised his/her voice against the alleged illegal construction that is coming up at the UNESCO heritage precinct at Old Goa.
However one of the legislators gave an ultimatum to the government to stop the construction which seems more like an afterthought. Every person is a creation of the almighty and is equal in front of God.
Hence it does not seem proper to give politicians this special privilege. As the legislators are elected by the citizens it would be but natural for them to sit along with the faithful attending the feast mass.
It would be in the fitness of things for the elected representatives to request the church authorities to do away with this sitting arrangement so that they can sit with the common man.
If politicians want to sit in front they need to come early for the mass like other devotees. Such special privilege can be given to politicians at entertainment programs like film festival, food festival, tiatrs, etc. but not at the Eucharistic celebrations as all are equal in the eyes of God.
