SHOULD THE CHURCH OR PRIEST DABBLE IN POLITIICS?

By Nisser Dias 24th Nov 2011

Should the Church or priest dabble in politics?

We are on the threshold of state assembly elections 2012, sitting MLAs and aspiring candidates have already kicked off their campaigns in their respective constituencies. One can see banners, flexes along the roadside. Some ministers have started sponsoring dramas, tournaments in a bid to appease the voters to win over their voters.

During elections time the politicians who have amassed huge illegal wealth, loosen their purse strings and dole out huge amounts of money surpassing the expenditure ceiling imposed by the Election Commission and the majority of voters grab this opportunity to make a quick buck.

Some of the politicians like Churchill Alemao, Ravi Naik, Digambar Kamat and lots others sing a common tune when elections are nearing, ‘people vote for us because of the affection we have showered upon them and the development we have brought in our respective constituencies’. So many years, they have been contesting from the same constituency and yet they need to develop it. It is basically an indication that they are not going to retire from active politics as they have made it their business. In Churchill Alemao’s case this is very evident as even after voters of Benaulim constituency rejected him and subsequently was rejected by the people of south Goa, he continues in politics.

The question that comes to my mind is if these politicians say that they contest because the voters force them, why do they spend colossal amounts of money to win elections. As I said before lakhs of rupees are spent on banners or flexes wishing people on festivals, sponsoring chicken and beer for parties and picnics, funding tournaments. Huge advertisements on news dailies. If people urge these politicians to contest, why do the politicians not advice the constituents to fan out in the constituency and convince people why they should elect them. Why do the politicians need to pay the workers to fix banners, party flags, canvass among other things.

Be that as it may, over the period of time politicians have seen the power of the church or rather the parish priests to change the tide in their favour. For decades now priests have been using the pulpit specially in the Salcete taluka to canvass for Congress candidates. I do not know whether it is the dictum of the church or whether the parish priests are doing it on their own. In any way it is wrong for the church or the priest to use place of worship to carry out a crusade for a certain party or a candidate. The church or the priest can educate its laity on how vote and what to see in a candidate or a politician party while casting the ballot, but surely not whom to vote.

As recently as last week, Fr. Tadeo – parish priest of Vaddem in Sanguem constituency was quoted in the advertisement on a local daily singing praises of Yuri Alemao on his birthday who is aspiring to contest from the said constituency. Fr. Tadeo said, “Yuri is young and shown that he is capable of doing work. He is blessed with the natural qualities that attract people, he is mild, humane, easily approachable and can speak to people’s heart. He will make a good MLA since he can deal with people and has good administrative qualities. He has helped my parishioners by providing generator, he has built a chapel and sponsored pilgrimages of the faithful to Vailankanni. I wish him God’s choicest blessings on his birthday and for his political career”.

Did, ‘His Grace’ Bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao give his assent for such a statement if not have the officials at Bishop’s house demanded an explanation from Fr. Tadeo. The faithful have a right to know.

We have seen in the last five years that Urban Development Joaquim Alemao father of Yuri has been hauled up by the High Court for building of sun bays illegaly at Baina Beach which were ordered to be demolished by High Court and cost be recovered from the officials. Joaquim was exposed by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for criminal waste of public money for ordering sweeping machines worth crores of rupees which were not even used once. Then wasting Rs. 7 crores to set-up a treatment plant at Sonsoddo with untested technology. If this is not corruption what is? Lest one should forget Joaquim Alemao is being investigated for illegal mining in the state too.

Could Fr. Tadeo tell us the source of income of Yuri Alemao to be able to build a chapel and to sponsor pilgrims to Vailankanni? If he is using his father’s allegedly ill-gotten wealth to win over votes then Fr. Tadeo is equally responsible of promoting corruption and dynastics politics. The question is what is Fr. Tadeo’s interest in promoting Yuri? Fr. Tadeo be better adviced that one does not have travel almost 50 kms from his place of residence to undertake social work. Yuri has seen huge mining potential in Sanguem and through politics he want to exploits it.
Of course Fr. Tadeo is not an isolated case of a priest in this practice of promoting candidates by motivating the laity to cast their ballot in their favour, there are many others. Fr. Conceicao D’silva hobnobs with most of the catholic politicians and in times of political crisis also helps in mediation. His birthday parties are lavish with most on the ministers on the invitees list, bestowing him with equally lavish gifts. With all the politicking he has indulged in, he could be a politician in his new avatar.

Controversial priest of Colva Fr. Diego also indulges in politics. During last assembly election when he was the parish priest of Colva his sermons were more political than spiritual. And as if that was not enough on the day of polling he was in the church yard which is in close vicinity to the polling booth showing his hand to the voters – as if trying to wave out to them but in reality he was urging them to vote for Congress whose symbol is ‘hand’.

Then we have Fr. Eremito Coutinho currently posted at Seraulim. An ardent fan of Churchill Brothers football tea but over the years his passion has spilled on to politics. Fr. Eremito wanted to allegedly print lottery coupons with Churchill Alemao’s picture on it. He was stopped in his tracks by some donors who contribute money to the church as well wishers.

Bishop Filipe Neri Ferrao during his annual interaction with politicians and the media preaches about curbing corruption and upliftment of the poorer section of the society but here are his priests urging the laity to vote for the most corrupt ministers and their families. God forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com or SMS 9422437029)

PAWAR TASTES POWER OF "THAPPAD".

The Powar Of Thappad “Thappad” is India’s indigenous weapon in more ways than one and more so from the hands of a woman and if they are blessed and possess the swing of compatriot Christina Kim than the “thappad” could land up with a hole in one for many a male egos. In Bollywood movies too we have seen “thappads” being delivered in almost every movie and the idiot box is not too far behind in their “saas bahu” episodes, the “thappad” is often delivered like the crack of a whip and the recipient is more often then not left dazed and humbled. The “thappad” is weapon that can have maximum emotional effect with minimal physical pain and in males it is also known to lowers down testosterone levels and sometimes said to even cause temporary impotency !

In real life too we may have witnessed “thappads” and the effect it has on the recipient, it is certainly not the best of things to happen to a person especially in public and that too, to a public figure and more so in front of the press cameras. The incident that occurred a couple of days back, where a “thappad” was administered to a veteran politician in public view and under the very nose of the media, has indeed resounded around the world. In India it has shattered the confidence of most of our netas and babus.

Harvinder Singh has been hailed as a hero and his few minutes in the sun and fame has had our netas holding on to their “dhotis” of indignity, as though their lives depended on it. The “thappad” shook even the Indian Parliament and most of its residents who deserve to be behind bars, have the audacity to cry murder in Parliament. Our politicians deserve lot more than just a simple “thappad” for all their sins of commissions and omissions, but even if the “thappad” does not do enough justice for the desecration that the residents have to the Indian Parliament and our Vidhan Sabhas, it could just be the start of worse thing to come and who could then blame the likes of Harvinder Singh.

We have already seen a lot of footwear projectiles being launched with the precision and trajectory of tomahawk missiles at politicians around the world and it is no surprise that now a “thappad” has landed on the face of a veteran politician in India and that too a Minister in the coalition government at the centre. Harvinder Singh claims he did it for publicity and the veteran minister has been man enough to publicly swallow his pride and forgive this humiliating act, but did he forgive him from his heart ? As far as we all know, Indian politicians to gain sympathy and mileage will go to any length in public but in the confines of their hearts it will certainly be a very different story, humiliation is one aspect that our politicians will never be able to accept or digest.

Why have politicians all of a sudden become prone to attacks from the public ? The answer is well and truly simple, frustrations at the high levels of corruption and nepotism in governance and as frustrations are rising people are becoming bolder by the day and the future indeed looks ominous. We have seen revolts in Egypt, Syria and Libya in the aftermath of rising frustrations and the same thing could happen to India and even to Goa, we are at the moment faced with an uncontrolled fire breathing dragon, breathing flames of corruption from one nostril and flames of price rise from the other and sooner or later the people will be forced to fight back to survive, like it happened in Egypt, Libya and Syria.

I am sure there are a lot more Harvinder Singh’s around waiting for their moments in the sun, even if it’s just for the publicity. Sharad Powar was surely lucky to end up with just a “thappad”, with all the scams and the inflation to go with it, it could have been really worse. Judging by the reaction, there has been no public outcry against Harvindar Singh but on the contrary he has been hailed as a hero, Sharad Powar has already been singled out and felt the power of the “thappad”, so at the moment our netas and babus will have to watch out and if they do not change for the better it could be their turn the next time round and it could well be a lot worse than just eggs, shoes or “thappads”, as such it would be only appropriate to say abb tera kya hoga Digu ?

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes

SOTER D'SOUZA IN REPLY TO "KUWAIT GOAN CHAMCHAS OF CORRUPT GOAN POLITICIANS".

The tiger's spots can never change. BJP believes that minorities must be subservient to Hindus and live in India with the blessings of Hindus. Whether Advani studies in st. Patricks or not, the agenda is clear. So for BJP, no matter what they say in public, minorities can never enjoy equal rights with Hindus.

Soter D'souza,
Socorro, N. Goa.
9890056616
----- Original Message -----

Subject: Kuwait Goan "Chamchas" of corrupt Goan Politicias.
G O A
--No plans in this revolution are written for retreat--
November 25, 2011

KUWAIT GOAN "CHAMCHAS" OF CORRUPT GOAN POLITICIANS.