By Nisser Dias 6th Oct 2011.
What is the Congress party waiting for? Dump all those involved in illegal mining in Goa.
For more than a month now, not a single day has passed without newspapers carrying reports on illegal mining in the state and exposing all those involved in the same. Be it the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, Congress party president of Goa unit, MLAs and government servants who did the bidding of politicians and allowed Goa to be raped and destroyed of its natural beauty. At the same time causing a loss of more than Rs. 10,000 crores to the exchequer. But the irony of the episode that is unfolding before our eyes involves chief minister, ministers and MLAs but they continue in their positions.
Compare this with an aam admi who has committed a crime, police immediately arrest him so that the criminal does not hamper investigation and destroy evidence. Moreover the entire scene of crime is made inaccessible to those involved in the crime. If at all the criminal is granted bail, the court imposes conditions that the accused will not influence or threaten witnesses, will co-operate with investigation, will not leave the country. But in the case of illegal mining the persons who are allegedly involved are high profile and they continue in their position where they can really influence and destroy evidence. Notwithstanding all this, we continue to believe in the myth that nobody is above law how where high and mighty he maybe.
Chief minister has been ruling over the portfolio for the last more than a decade, he says that he has been aware of the illegality but chose to stay mum thereby abetting it. Urban Development minister Joaquim Alemao says he is only a machinery contractor for mining companies and is not involved in illegal mining but the board outside his business office shouts that he is into mining services including trading and he continues in the public office. Health minister says he will not allow closed mines to be opened but his involvement in alleged illegal mining is also unfolding.
Worse still he continues to dictate terms to the Congress by weaning away BJP MLAs and forcing Congress party bigwigs to accept them. Such is his stranglehold over the party. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Subhash Shirodkar role is also being unearthed. He is undeterred and continues in a responsible position despite of his alleged irresponsible act.
Joaquim Alemao made a grand statement that he would resign as minister if it is proved that he is involved in illegal mining. His statement seems to be on the assumption, ‘innocent until proven guilty’. But for common man it seems to be just opposite. Then Health minister Vishwajit Rane threatened to sue Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar for alleging that he is deeply involved illegal mining. The question is why does junior Rane issue threats. Why can he just go ahead and file a defamation suit against his tormentor. It is because the Health minister knows very well that his darks deeds will be further exposed.
Now these same politicians are trying to form their own coterie by either making other MLAs to resign and contest on Congress or trying to bring their families in politics so that they will have a greater leverage in the formation of the government and that they will also enjoy immunity. Lest they should forget top Union ministers are today languishing in jails.
That our elected representatives have made politics their business cannot be denied. At the same to counter the illegalities committed by our elected representatives we need to have in place strong laws to maintain the equilibrium of checks and balances on corruption and Anna has shown the way.
In Goa too the Law Commission has presented the government with an effective Goa Lokayukta Bill 2011 which brings all and sundry under its ambit. The Bill also envisages its own Investigation and Prosecution Wings, however it was amply clear from the beginning that the government and the Opposition included would not allow such a Bill as it empowers the Lokayukta to investigate and prosecute anybody for their deeds of Omission and Commission. And illegal mining under chief minister Digambar Kamat for the past 13 years is an apt example of sins of Omission and Commission.
Digambar Kamat saw through the Goa Lokayukta Bill 2011and the havoc it could play with his political fraternity and decided to place the toothless 2003 Bill which was passed in 2007 before the House again during the on-going Assembly Session. That apart the Congress legislators seem to have come together which is very rare, to shield and save their own from the M B Shah probe and from the Public Accounts Committee report prepared by its chairman Manohar Parrikar.
Infact the Congress and MGP legislators on the panel reversed the table on Parrikar by using his own trick. It does not require a political analyst to realize that Parrikar submitted the PAC draft at the eleventh hour to trick other members of the committee for their consent. However when they refused to sign on the dotted lines as they required time to study it, his ploy fell flat. This has been the hallmark of Parrikar’s functioning and we saw it during his reign as chief minister.
The ruling MLAs refusing to sign the PAC draft is also another indication that they have come together. AICC observer Jagmeet Singh Brar must have really done some trouble shooting during his visit to Goa last week to forge unity. Or it could also be that the Congressmen have come together to save their own skin, United we stand, divided we fall sought of a way.
But one thing I can say is that this would bring temporary relief to the chief minister and all those involved in illegal mining and causing irreversible damage to natural beauty of Goa and causing loss to the exchequer. But how long will Digambar Kamat government last after the Justice Shah submits his report is a question mark. The chief minister has only one option, suggest dissolution of the assembly immediately after the 2-day assembly session is over and go to polls. Congress party too has its options drop Digambar Kamat and the ministers to be indicted in the report to save face and go polls telling the world the party is fighting corruption even though its own partymen are involved in it.
Lastly the political parties will decide what is best for them as they want to rule, where the country is headed to or the destruction of the nature is their least priority. It is us – the people of this country or the state to decide how to shape our country and state and we have the right to do it through our ballot by choosing and electing the right candidates who has our aspiration at heart and not to promote his business or rather to indulge in illegal businesses. If the Congress party is serious about fighting corruption, it has to immediately sack all its partymen including chief minister and his cabinet colleagues involved in illegalities and also those involved in other form of corruption or those who have accumulated huge illegal wealth during their rule in Goa.
Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com Or SMS 9422437029)
October 9, 2011
IN PRAISE OF VERONICA AS A FOOTBALLER.
Dear Veronica,
Your article on UG the history maker was an excellent one, full of history very few Goans knows.
It's richness lies in its history very beautifully brought in for the new generation of Goans to know what the old generation has done.
Veronica you mentioned names of all the great players from the inaugural year, fine, deserving kudos to all but you missed one very important name and that was your name. I still remember you playing a very important role as defender of Salmiya Youth, you were the captain of the team and there was no one that time to compare you, so excellent you were. You were very muscular boy at that time and very speedy defender having skillful game. I salute you and your game.
UG deserves much credit for creating football awakening in us.
Well done UG.
Antonio F.
Your article on UG the history maker was an excellent one, full of history very few Goans knows.
It's richness lies in its history very beautifully brought in for the new generation of Goans to know what the old generation has done.
Veronica you mentioned names of all the great players from the inaugural year, fine, deserving kudos to all but you missed one very important name and that was your name. I still remember you playing a very important role as defender of Salmiya Youth, you were the captain of the team and there was no one that time to compare you, so excellent you were. You were very muscular boy at that time and very speedy defender having skillful game. I salute you and your game.
UG deserves much credit for creating football awakening in us.
Well done UG.
Antonio F.
October 8, 2011
UG - THE HISTORY MAKER IN KUWAIT.
UG THE HISTORY MAKER IN KUWAIT.
The annual UG organized soccer tournament for its current edition was kicked-off on Friday morning, 7th of this month.
It was in mid 1979 under the banner of United Goans Football Center popularly known as UG, started the first ever competitive soccer tournament not only for Goans as originally planned but also for all Indian expatriates residing and working in Kuwait, the venue was Sour Ground where both the playfields were utilized. Originally and till for many years it was League Cum Knock Out basis till penultimate stage. The first two finals during the inaugural year and the following one were played at Ahmadi where enormous number of spectators witnessed these finals and on both the occasions Goan Sporting defeated UG Strikers. During the inaugural time it was the festival of around ten participating teams while currently it is almost doubled. Qualitatively originally it was very high while currently the quality is low.
It was a group of few soccer crazy Goans joined together and under the umbrella of UG they started this soccer extravaganza for Goans mainly. From the inception year till next few years matches were played in the afternoons where huge number of spectators used to attend mostly the Goans dotted with number of females including my soccer crazy wife.
Among the persons in UG who devoted their precious time and energy to start this soccer feast of Goans were Tony Gonsalves ( Divar) who is still going strong, their president and ex Lube Goa player Anton Lawrence Fernandes (Siolim), F.X. Joe D’ouza (Assagao) who played an excellent role by applying his skill and vast knowledge in organising the tournaments, Moses Menezes (Candolim), the late Custodio (Navelim), the late Diogo Gomes (Bastora), the late Joe Fernandes (Cova), the late George the Dotor (Navelim) and may others.
They were all pioneers in initiating our soccer activities in Kuwait and because of their excellent initiative we are still organsing our soccer games. We owe our gratitude to UG and UG in turn to everyone who in the beginning associated with it to start this great venture.
In the beginning it was like a fun but gradually it became a force to reckon with. In the beginning some of our elders of that time thought it was going to be a big joke but later on they realized its importance in uniting the community members is such a huge number at Sour grounds.
Because of these soccer activities many of our young men got job facilities and other benefits and this trend of acquiring benefits is still going on and for that matter going on smoothly and strongly.
It is said that history cannot be changed and in this matter of our soccer what history Goans has made thru UG neither can be changed nor altered. As a representative of Goans, UG in 1979 created a history by initiating our competitive soccer and this unique incident cannot be erased from the history books. UG deserved highest accolades for this.
While creating this history UG had a strong team of Goan stalwarts, some of them are dead while others retired from Kuwait and still some are residing in Kuwait. Among those still residing in Kuwait are Tony Gonsalves who is doing an excellent job to keep the UG flag flying high still and F.X. Joe D’Souza who gave his best for the promotion of this soccer by being under the umbrella of UG.
Among all the teams participated in the inaugural year only UG is surviving till now while some of the top teams of the inaugural year namely Salmiya Youth, Friends Club Salmiya, Starlites, Goan Sporting, Blue Razors and others gone into etinction.
Some of the best players who played in the inaugural tournament to make our soccer more attractive were goalkeeper Julio Cardoso under the bar of Friends Club of Salmiya; Cajetan Godinho the midfielder of Goan Sporting, Charlie of Stsrlite, Tony Correia and the late Cosme and Agnu of Blue Razors and Casmiro and Alcantra of UG Strikers.
On behalf of all my like minded soccer loving and soccer promoter Goans in Kuwait, I salute UG and every member of it who in the beginning came forward to start this soccer in 1979. On the strength of the base UG created then we are still having our soccer activities till now.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
The annual UG organized soccer tournament for its current edition was kicked-off on Friday morning, 7th of this month.
It was in mid 1979 under the banner of United Goans Football Center popularly known as UG, started the first ever competitive soccer tournament not only for Goans as originally planned but also for all Indian expatriates residing and working in Kuwait, the venue was Sour Ground where both the playfields were utilized. Originally and till for many years it was League Cum Knock Out basis till penultimate stage. The first two finals during the inaugural year and the following one were played at Ahmadi where enormous number of spectators witnessed these finals and on both the occasions Goan Sporting defeated UG Strikers. During the inaugural time it was the festival of around ten participating teams while currently it is almost doubled. Qualitatively originally it was very high while currently the quality is low.
It was a group of few soccer crazy Goans joined together and under the umbrella of UG they started this soccer extravaganza for Goans mainly. From the inception year till next few years matches were played in the afternoons where huge number of spectators used to attend mostly the Goans dotted with number of females including my soccer crazy wife.
Among the persons in UG who devoted their precious time and energy to start this soccer feast of Goans were Tony Gonsalves ( Divar) who is still going strong, their president and ex Lube Goa player Anton Lawrence Fernandes (Siolim), F.X. Joe D’ouza (Assagao) who played an excellent role by applying his skill and vast knowledge in organising the tournaments, Moses Menezes (Candolim), the late Custodio (Navelim), the late Diogo Gomes (Bastora), the late Joe Fernandes (Cova), the late George the Dotor (Navelim) and may others.
They were all pioneers in initiating our soccer activities in Kuwait and because of their excellent initiative we are still organsing our soccer games. We owe our gratitude to UG and UG in turn to everyone who in the beginning associated with it to start this great venture.
In the beginning it was like a fun but gradually it became a force to reckon with. In the beginning some of our elders of that time thought it was going to be a big joke but later on they realized its importance in uniting the community members is such a huge number at Sour grounds.
Because of these soccer activities many of our young men got job facilities and other benefits and this trend of acquiring benefits is still going on and for that matter going on smoothly and strongly.
It is said that history cannot be changed and in this matter of our soccer what history Goans has made thru UG neither can be changed nor altered. As a representative of Goans, UG in 1979 created a history by initiating our competitive soccer and this unique incident cannot be erased from the history books. UG deserved highest accolades for this.
While creating this history UG had a strong team of Goan stalwarts, some of them are dead while others retired from Kuwait and still some are residing in Kuwait. Among those still residing in Kuwait are Tony Gonsalves who is doing an excellent job to keep the UG flag flying high still and F.X. Joe D’Souza who gave his best for the promotion of this soccer by being under the umbrella of UG.
Among all the teams participated in the inaugural year only UG is surviving till now while some of the top teams of the inaugural year namely Salmiya Youth, Friends Club Salmiya, Starlites, Goan Sporting, Blue Razors and others gone into etinction.
Some of the best players who played in the inaugural tournament to make our soccer more attractive were goalkeeper Julio Cardoso under the bar of Friends Club of Salmiya; Cajetan Godinho the midfielder of Goan Sporting, Charlie of Stsrlite, Tony Correia and the late Cosme and Agnu of Blue Razors and Casmiro and Alcantra of UG Strikers.
On behalf of all my like minded soccer loving and soccer promoter Goans in Kuwait, I salute UG and every member of it who in the beginning came forward to start this soccer in 1979. On the strength of the base UG created then we are still having our soccer activities till now.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
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