IS PARRIKAR WASTING PUBLIC MONEY??

SWEARING-IN EXTRAVAGANZA OF THE CHIEF MINISTER WAS A 11 LAKH BURDEN ON THE TAX PAYER

By Aires Rodrigues

The March 9th swearing in ceremony of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar held at Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) grounds at Campal cost the State exchequer a whopping Rs 10, 91,782. This has been revealed in the information furnished under the Right to Information by the General Administration department at the Secretariat.

The file notings reveal that the Mr. Manohar Parrikar had on 7th March evening decided that his swearing in ceremony should be on 9th March at 5pm at the S.A.G grounds. The Chief Minister had stated that more than 12000 people would attend the function and had directed the Secretariat officials that each invitee be served a half litre water bottle, one pedda and also either a batata vada or patti.

Accordingly an amount of Rs 66,000 was spent on 222 kgs of peddas which were purchased at Rs 300 a kg. while Rs 93,120 was spent on the water bottles. An expenditure of Rs 48,000 was incurred on 6000 batata vadas while another Rs 48,000 was spent on the 6000 vegetable patties.

The documents obtained under the Right to Information Act further reveals that Rs 25,000 was spent on the services of 100 students of Catering College Porvorim requisitioned to serve the refreshments to the 12000 invitees. A further expenditure of Rs 12850 was incurred on the two Kadamba Transport Corporation buses hired to transport those 100 Catering college students from Porvorim to S.A.G grounds at Campal and back.

The pandal, stage, sound system and seating arrangement for the swearing in ceremony cost the tax payer a further Rs 7,98,212. which includes Rs 63,415 spent on flower decoration for the stage and Rs 72,270 on hire of 5500 chairs.

It has also been informed that no prior permission of the Sports Authority of Goa and the Corporation of City of Panaji was obtained to hold the swearing in ceremony function on SAG grounds at Campal.

While Mr. Manohar Parrikar along with five cabinet Ministers were sworn in on March 9th, another six Ministers were sworn in a month later on April 8th at a customary function at Raj Bhavan. One more cabinet Minister is expected to be inducted after the Cortalim Assembly bye election which is scheduled on 4th June.

The 11 lakhs squandered on the 9th March swearing in ceremony was a sheer waste of public funds. Mr. Manohar Parrikar while in Opposition had alleged that the State coffers were empty but himself chose to unnecessarily further burden the tax payer on his very first day in office. There is a need for accountability and transparency in every paisa spent from the State treasury. Such wasteful expenditure of public funds was inexplicable, unjustifiable and unpardonable.

HISTORY MAKER CORTALIM.

Cortalim is known to create history in Goa for the good of Goans. The people of Cortalim are known to challenge the brute and arrogant might of the brutes and arrogants. One of the persons who fiercely fought for the eradication of caste system and demolition of Bhatkarshahi in Goa was the great son of Cortalim. Though he was a humble man coming from humble family background but he fought great battles to create an egalitarian society in Goa. He was none other than the legendary Tiatrist the late Minguel Rod.

Minguel Rod was the first and the main Tiatrist who wooed all segments of Goans towards Tiatros during those days because he was considered as Goan Shakesphere. Because of the high moral disciplinary messages in his Tiatros, Mundkars as well as Bhattkars, Bamonn as well as Non-Bamons used to flock to watch his Tiatros which were full of messages and lessons for all Goans. It was he who was more responsible among all Goans to minimise the influence of Caste system in Goa mainly among the Catholics who shamelessly against the principle of Christianity performed and still performing casteism. He was very piercing in his criticism from the Stage of casteist Bhattkars who treated Mundkars and other low caste Goans as slaves.

In one of his songs he hit very hard the so called might of the Bamonn Bhattkars by himself playing the role of a Pedho – the Grave Digger - in his own Tiatro. Te song goes like this:

SILKACHIM TUJIM SUTTAM ANI BHANGARACHE TUJE BUTAUM,
KHUIM ASSAT TIM TUJIM POLKIM VHODDPONA,
HEM TUJEM SOGLEM AUM GHANVCHO PEDHO ATAM FONDDAN GHALTAM.

HEAM TUJEAM DHARUN HATANI TUM MUNDDKAREANCHER MARI CHABUNKAM,
TE TUJE DONUI HATH AUM ATAM MOJEA PAYAM PONDAK MOSTITAM.

Because of Minguel Rod’s campaign against casteism of Bamon Bhattkars the structure of Goan society changed a lot for the betterment. Talking to my father once he told “I will never give peaceful sleep to all the casteists who are spoiling the good sleep of poor Goans”. Regrettably before he could achieve his goal fully, he died an early death. But during his lifetime itself he made his voice and message audible for many Bhattkars and Bamonn to change their life style.

What individual Minguel Rod from Cortalim did for Goan society at social level, the Cortalim citizens did “en masse” at political level in Goa during the historic Opinion Poll. In one of his election speeches on the eve of Opinion Poll, the father of Opinion Poll Dr. Jack de Sequeira stated thus: “I have strong faith in Congottkar, Mapxenkar, Siolkar and other Bardezcar that they will vote for ‘Two Leaves’ and in Kuttalkars I have a strong faith in them to change the whole tide in favour of Two Leaves”. His prophetic words came to reality when vote count was taken from Cortalim that gave overwhelming support to Two Leaves. From Cortalim there was no halt in support of Two Leaves till Cortalim changed the whole scenario. Our elders then were telling “Not to play with Cuttalkars, their love for Goa and Goans is unique. They know to play their role well in support of Goa and Goan causes”.

Now it is time once again for Cuttalkars to show their wisdom and vote for the right candidate in the forthcoming by-election necessitated due to the untimely death of their representative Mathany Saldanha. His wife Alina Saldanha is contesting on behalf of BJP and as per her statement in the aftermath of the death of her husband, she will carry on with the legacy and wishes of her husband.

One main wish of the late Mathany Saldanha was to fight for the eradication of Mopa Airport because according to Mathany this Mopa Airport will not serve the cause of Goa and Goans. Alina Saldanha up to now is not committing her wish to fight against Mopa Airprot in tune with her dead husband’s wishes. Cuttalkars who committed their support to Alina must ask Alina during her election campaign in Cortalim very loudly and very openly her view on Mopa Arport and whether she will oppose it or not. Normally Cuttalkars are brave people and to protect the interest of Goa and Goans they will do anything extra ordinary as they did in the past. For so long Alina is evading the Mopa question. Cuttalkars should not allow her anymore to evade this question. This is a very crucial question for which clear answer must come from the mouth of Alina.

It is time for Cuttallkars to show their affiliation to Goa and Goan causes one of which should be the scrapping of Mopa Airport as per the wishes of Mathany Saldanha. This is the right moment to get assurance from Alina that she will carry forward the undone work of her husband. Parrikar is a cunning Fox; he will try to play Alina as a toy to fulfil his wishes. Only Cuttalkars can stop him from playing dirty games. The ball is in the court of Cortalim voters. They can save Goa from the jaws of Mopa or they can allow the Mopa Airport to swallow Goa thru blind support of Alina to Parrikar.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.