I was watching Barkha Dutt's NDTV show yesterday when she ridiculed the Mumbai's middle class citizens' resolve not to stay away from the voting booths in elections after the gruelling experience they have had during the 26/11 in Mumbai.
The voting turnout at that time was some mere 47 odd per cent which was a big let down for the Mumbai which was wide awake.
The clearer picture emerged this morning, that of 50 odd per cent. Unbelievable indeed when Mumbai's voting was earmarked for 70 plus per cent ! Therefore a sound reason to go deep down to see as to WHY people do not go to vote despite wanting to set things right, politically.
Kedar Nath Pandey says "Pundits are already calling this an election devoid of issues, where parties have abandoned ideiology for power" [NT April 30, 2009--Viewpoints "Indian Electorate Focussed on Change and Good Governance"]
In laymans' terms what this means is that 'If you are an invited guest for a banquette, you enter the banquette hall to find that the host, cooks et al have already finished the main courses even before the guests have started arriving'
Sensitive and sensible voters have, by and large, become disillusioned with our election processes wherein matinee idols, gansters and murderers, crooks and big spenders, hate mongers and even cricketers are fielded by parties to promise the heavens to the people except anything to do with 'good governance'. Good governance has become a joke. Once upon a time the BJP took hold of it and rubbed it into the dirt of the worst kind with 'India Shining' slogan spending crores and crores of tax-payer's money. This party has taken the electorate for granted by even putting up a prime ministerial candidate who is more qualified to see the inside of the Tihar Jail's bars. And this party has the audacity to even suggest its next prime ministerial candidate who could do well as a 'master butcher' of human beings.
Sensitive and sensible people want change in the way the 'GOVERNANCE' of this country is tackled. Once elected, our leaders lose their back bones to stand tall and be counted. Examples Manmohan Singh vis a vis Kandhamal in Orissa. Vajpayee and even the President of India [ Late K.R. Narayanan] vis a vis Godhra carnage, forget about Advani as India's Home Minister. Narasimha Rao [then PM] vis a vis Babri Masjid, etc. People vote leaders to power not to cultivate cold feet or to cater to their own private and party's selfish agendas. Sensitive and sensible people will remain disillusioned and stay away from the voting booths by opting for other meaningful things to do, including holidaying and going on picnics on election days if political parties do not spell out their 'good governance' script, meticulously dotting the i's and crossing the t's before elections and go about sticking to that script after elections, no matter what.
Indian democracy is destined to be a big flop in years to come where even the zopdiwallas and the slum-dwellers will have to be coaxed and cajoled to go to the voting booths if our political class continue doing what it is doing presently. It is transparently seen who benefits from these elections. People who toil and languish in long voting lines, thinking that they are doing their duty towards their nation are taken for a jolly good ride by the hypocrites who earn to be our leaders. The biggest hypocrite of them all is seen mouthing the words 'compulsory voting' now a days, having realised what I have just said above, that people will increasingly stay away from the voting booths.
To end this tirade against hypocritical elections in this country, I shall want to give a clear example as to what the political class should do before and after elections for people to leave everything and pile up in lines to vote to make it near 100 per cent voting.
1. Promise to improve the Law and Order in the State and do it when elected even if it requires to skin the top police brass.
2. Promise to raze to the ground all illegally built constructions and stick to that promise come what may after getting elected, no matter if it is Vijay Malhya, Audhut Timblo or even Almighty God's gumpty or a chapel or a church.
3. Promise to either 'stop' or 'legalize' Matka and do it when elected to power.
4. Promise to close down polluting industries including industries like META STRIPS and do it when elected [ and not take a tour inside of one as a minister and give big bashans that they are non-polluting and green industries, once elected.... you know who I am talking about here]
5. Promise to really clean up the public health (365 days mosquito menace), public transport ( so that people do not have to buy two and four wheelers), power , PWD etc and do it when elected with your pockets empty and drawn out and hanging to prove it.
6. Promise to revert Goa's comunidades back to their original health by promissing to throw out the 'Bandodkar's brainchild' the Tanancy act and do it when elected whether the Sattari's Rane Raja or the ODI's scamster Dayanand Narkasur likes it or not.
7. Promise to stop all illegal mining in Goa, to strictly monitor the legal ones with an eye to phase-out mining completely within a stipulated time frame and do it when elected, whether the Lords and Ladies as well as the cooks at the MOEFF in Delhi likes it or not.
AND I could go on and on, not forgetting to promise a laudable GOAN IDENTITY and death to the 'Garbage menace' which includes the stinking 'garbage like' menace of 'high profile corruption in Goa .. to include the entry of 'Enforcement Directorate' to flush out each and every legitimate tax-payer's penny which has been stashed away and pile it on the roadside for them (tax-payers) to claim it as their own.
floriano
goasuraj
May 2, 2009
April 30, 2009
NO TO CHRISTIANS BUT YES TO CHRISTIAN FEASTS.
NO TO CHRISTIANS BUT YES TO CHRISTIAN FEASTS.
On Monday 27th April I attended the feast of Milagre Saibinn at Mapusa Church. After attending the Mass, I went around the annual “Feri” where I saw innumerable people mainly the Catholic devotees purchasing different items from the Stalls. With the exception of "Cheuris Pao" almost all the Stalls were put up and owned by non-Catholics many of them anti-Christians and some of them non-Goans, the latest descendents from "Ghantti" land having no respect for Christians and no reverence for Christian relics and their values. Even in the que one could see only the Ghantti beggars without uttering a single word of Konkani prayer like “Baba tumcher bessaum poddonk re, bai tumchem borem zaum go, Milagre Sabinnin tumcher besavam ghalunk”. Their only motto is to make money. This money they collect from Goan Catholics devotees. It was very hurting to know that the very people who hate Christians are promoting their businesses only thru Christian patronage and our Church leaders are not giving any guidance for us to challenge this trend and take control of our affairs.
We have so many jobless Catholics, Church leaders in every village for the Church feasts must encourage these jobless Christians to put up their own stalls for the Church “Feri” instead of using these boys and girls for running the Church “Kermes”. Even if monetary assistance is required, Church leaders should come forward to assist and if necessary even business guidance like entrepreneurial skills should be thought to our Christians. Churches are making lot of money thru organising Kermes, thru Sunday Collections and by organising Shows and Tiatros. During Milagre Saibinn Fest, one Tiatro of Prince Jacob was scheduled for which very hefty tickets were sold namely first class for Rs. 500/- followed by Rs. 300/- Rs. 200/- etc. This is big money Church is making and such money extortion in the name of Church was imposed on Catholic devotees only. It is not Mapusa Church alone, all the Churches in Goa must come out with some ideas to involve Goan Christians into business first especially where Church is involved. Goa Church must stop begging and instead start financing and guiding our people for entrepreneurial skills. Goa Church is not a beggar, it has got good wealth to support the faithfuls and their projects.
Currently I have noticed that due to degoanisation process in Goa and denying Catholics and other Christians of their privileges and rights, the importance of Christians is getting down and thru this process the influence of Catholic Church controlled from Panjim Altinho is waning. I noticed during the recent Lokh Sabab Election the influence of non-Goan Ghanttis and non-Christians was shining like Bethlehem Star. Our problem lies in the weak and inefficient leadership we get from our Church. Our Church and priests and even nuns are become over money conscious. At moment it looks that Priesthood is become a money making profession and not a vocation. In order to grab money, many of our priests are sprinting in all directions like our politicians. Some years back for the greed of money the then Pe. Vigar of our village Church sold inside premises of our Church to Amitab Bacchan to make his film, of course shamelessly. Our Church leaders and priests are least interested in the protection of our rights and privileges. It is they who sold rampantly Confraria Lands to non-Goans, non-Christians and the enemies of Christians. In time to come, we will survive as a strong community only if our Church and priests give us strong support, strong leadership and suitable guidance otherwise we will get drowned in the big ocean of Non-Goans continuously pouring in Goa and Non-Christians who will utilise each and every opportunity available in Goa for them. The downfall of Christians in general and Catholics in particular in Goa will be the making of our Church leadership. We don’t want the Church preaching empty sermons and giving nonsensical instructions. Those days are over. The days of opposition and challenges from our enemies are looming over our heads. Our Church leadership must rise and rise immediately.
A. Veronica Fernandes.
On Monday 27th April I attended the feast of Milagre Saibinn at Mapusa Church. After attending the Mass, I went around the annual “Feri” where I saw innumerable people mainly the Catholic devotees purchasing different items from the Stalls. With the exception of "Cheuris Pao" almost all the Stalls were put up and owned by non-Catholics many of them anti-Christians and some of them non-Goans, the latest descendents from "Ghantti" land having no respect for Christians and no reverence for Christian relics and their values. Even in the que one could see only the Ghantti beggars without uttering a single word of Konkani prayer like “Baba tumcher bessaum poddonk re, bai tumchem borem zaum go, Milagre Sabinnin tumcher besavam ghalunk”. Their only motto is to make money. This money they collect from Goan Catholics devotees. It was very hurting to know that the very people who hate Christians are promoting their businesses only thru Christian patronage and our Church leaders are not giving any guidance for us to challenge this trend and take control of our affairs.
We have so many jobless Catholics, Church leaders in every village for the Church feasts must encourage these jobless Christians to put up their own stalls for the Church “Feri” instead of using these boys and girls for running the Church “Kermes”. Even if monetary assistance is required, Church leaders should come forward to assist and if necessary even business guidance like entrepreneurial skills should be thought to our Christians. Churches are making lot of money thru organising Kermes, thru Sunday Collections and by organising Shows and Tiatros. During Milagre Saibinn Fest, one Tiatro of Prince Jacob was scheduled for which very hefty tickets were sold namely first class for Rs. 500/- followed by Rs. 300/- Rs. 200/- etc. This is big money Church is making and such money extortion in the name of Church was imposed on Catholic devotees only. It is not Mapusa Church alone, all the Churches in Goa must come out with some ideas to involve Goan Christians into business first especially where Church is involved. Goa Church must stop begging and instead start financing and guiding our people for entrepreneurial skills. Goa Church is not a beggar, it has got good wealth to support the faithfuls and their projects.
Currently I have noticed that due to degoanisation process in Goa and denying Catholics and other Christians of their privileges and rights, the importance of Christians is getting down and thru this process the influence of Catholic Church controlled from Panjim Altinho is waning. I noticed during the recent Lokh Sabab Election the influence of non-Goan Ghanttis and non-Christians was shining like Bethlehem Star. Our problem lies in the weak and inefficient leadership we get from our Church. Our Church and priests and even nuns are become over money conscious. At moment it looks that Priesthood is become a money making profession and not a vocation. In order to grab money, many of our priests are sprinting in all directions like our politicians. Some years back for the greed of money the then Pe. Vigar of our village Church sold inside premises of our Church to Amitab Bacchan to make his film, of course shamelessly. Our Church leaders and priests are least interested in the protection of our rights and privileges. It is they who sold rampantly Confraria Lands to non-Goans, non-Christians and the enemies of Christians. In time to come, we will survive as a strong community only if our Church and priests give us strong support, strong leadership and suitable guidance otherwise we will get drowned in the big ocean of Non-Goans continuously pouring in Goa and Non-Christians who will utilise each and every opportunity available in Goa for them. The downfall of Christians in general and Catholics in particular in Goa will be the making of our Church leadership. We don’t want the Church preaching empty sermons and giving nonsensical instructions. Those days are over. The days of opposition and challenges from our enemies are looming over our heads. Our Church leadership must rise and rise immediately.
A. Veronica Fernandes.
JOSE ROD SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS
The medical team at the Hinduja Hospital-Mumbai have positive news of Jose Rod’s surgery and has declared that he is responding well.
The family of Jose Rod thank the Almighty God and graciously acknowledge with great affection, love and gratitude to all friends and well-wishers for your continued prayers.
May the Almighty GOD shower on you all His Choicest Blessings. Praise be to the Almighty God. Thank you all.
Cajetan de Sanvordem
Kuwait
The medical team at the Hinduja Hospital-Mumbai have positive news of Jose Rod’s surgery and has declared that he is responding well.
The family of Jose Rod thank the Almighty God and graciously acknowledge with great affection, love and gratitude to all friends and well-wishers for your continued prayers.
May the Almighty GOD shower on you all His Choicest Blessings. Praise be to the Almighty God. Thank you all.
Cajetan de Sanvordem
Kuwait
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