Selective outrage weakens democracy
The Prime Minister found time to respond to an abusive social media post by a teenager, yet his prolonged silence on the violence, deaths, displacement, and suffering in Manipur has been equally striking. A democracy is judged not by its response to criticism but by its willingness to address the hardships faced by its citizens. I also oppose the reported use of pellet guns against protesters in Delhi. However, the...
E-governance in Goa needs real reform
I read your follow-up article on "Missed gram sabhas" and was glad to learn about the NIRNAY website that provides information on gram sabha meetings. While I am proud that we are moving in this direction, my personal experience with government technology is quite different. I recently used the RTO...
BJP in Goa survives on Opposition shortcomings
As a long time observer of Goan politics, in my view there is no way that BJP can be in power in Goa unless the Opposition (Congress party particularly) does not rise above personal ambitions. I see a fight for power within the top Congress leadership particularly, which is more...
Gram sabhas cannot be mere ritual meetings
The Panchayat Minister deserves appreciation for reminding village panchayats of their statutory duty to hold gram sabhas and proposing action against those that repeatedly fail to do so. However, the real challenge is not merely conducting meetings but ensuring that their decisions are implemented. Across Goa, gram sabhas are increasingly...
Silence does not mean respect in democracy
Many influential voices in India have remained conspicuously quiet during a period of profound political and social change. Their silence has prompted questions about whether it reflects agreement, caution, or fear of potential consequences. There is a widespread perception among some sections of the public that speaking critically of those...
