CHIEF MINISTER PARRIKAR RESPONISBLE FOR THE ALINA CABINET INDUCTION FIASCO
By Aires Rodrigues
As Manohar Parrikar completes two months in office his attempt to induct Mrs. Alina Saldanha, widow of the late Mathany Saldanha, into the cabinet is one of his many flawed moves. I objected to Alina’s induction as the induction of the party candidate as Minister was s a gross violation of the Election Commission’s model code of conduct currently in force for the by election to the Cortalim Constituency. Grief, Sorrow, Sympathy and Emotions cannot overtake the rule of law and the principles of propriety in governance.
The manner and haste in which Alina was sought to be made a Minister besides being highly suspicious, was politically inappropriate. This view has now also been upheld by the Election Commission of India. While the issue was being considered by the ECI, the rank defiance and sheer arrogance by the Chief Minister was outrageous. Showing scant respect to the Model Code of Conduct and the constitutional status of ECI was unbecoming of a Chief Minister.
Mr. Manohar Parrikar does not seem to have learnt from his past mistakes. A balance of legality and morality in public life leaves no room for political high handedness or despotism. He should realize that whether he likes it not we are a democracy and not an autocracy. As he now intends to pen a book on his political journey, we can expect one of the chapters to be on his futile attempt to make Alina Saldanha a Cabinet Minister.
Personally I have nothing against Alina. The voters of Cortalim will decide who their next MLA will be. When I took on the misdeeds of the earlier Congress government I was called a BJP agent. Now standing up against the misdeeds of this BJP regime I am accused of being fielded by the Congress. Such criticism does not bother me but only emboldens my resolve to carry on the Big Fight. That has been my civic duty for over three decades and the battle against corruption and nepotism must go on regardless of the government in power. Someone has to be a Watchman. The historian and moralist, Lord Acton, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887 had said: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.". Is Manohar Parrikar listening?
By Aires Rodrigues
As Manohar Parrikar completes two months in office his attempt to induct Mrs. Alina Saldanha, widow of the late Mathany Saldanha, into the cabinet is one of his many flawed moves. I objected to Alina’s induction as the induction of the party candidate as Minister was s a gross violation of the Election Commission’s model code of conduct currently in force for the by election to the Cortalim Constituency. Grief, Sorrow, Sympathy and Emotions cannot overtake the rule of law and the principles of propriety in governance.
The manner and haste in which Alina was sought to be made a Minister besides being highly suspicious, was politically inappropriate. This view has now also been upheld by the Election Commission of India. While the issue was being considered by the ECI, the rank defiance and sheer arrogance by the Chief Minister was outrageous. Showing scant respect to the Model Code of Conduct and the constitutional status of ECI was unbecoming of a Chief Minister.
Mr. Manohar Parrikar does not seem to have learnt from his past mistakes. A balance of legality and morality in public life leaves no room for political high handedness or despotism. He should realize that whether he likes it not we are a democracy and not an autocracy. As he now intends to pen a book on his political journey, we can expect one of the chapters to be on his futile attempt to make Alina Saldanha a Cabinet Minister.
Personally I have nothing against Alina. The voters of Cortalim will decide who their next MLA will be. When I took on the misdeeds of the earlier Congress government I was called a BJP agent. Now standing up against the misdeeds of this BJP regime I am accused of being fielded by the Congress. Such criticism does not bother me but only emboldens my resolve to carry on the Big Fight. That has been my civic duty for over three decades and the battle against corruption and nepotism must go on regardless of the government in power. Someone has to be a Watchman. The historian and moralist, Lord Acton, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887 had said: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.". Is Manohar Parrikar listening?
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