By Nisser Dias. 10th Nov 2011
People living in glass houses should not throw stones at others.
As recently as last week newly appointed, inexperienced Congress party Goa unit spokesperson and a greenhorn in politics Valanka Alemao tried to make a show of grand standing by questioning BJP’s silence on alleged corruption by their former party president Bangaru Laxman and ended up exposing herself as an incompetent lawyer also.
Simply because one cannot comment when the case is sub-judice. If Valanka does not know this much of law, I doubt whether she will be an asset if at all elected to Goa Legislative Assembly. Without going into the merits of the case Congress wound up the Commission set-up by the NDA government to enquire into the allegation against Bangaru Laxman and handed the matter to the CBI in 2004 and the chargesheet came to be filed in 2006 during the regime of the Congress government. Could the spokeperson tell us why the Congress government is not pursuing the matter in earnest? It is simply because they want the law to take its own course and do not want to be seen as witch hunting or influencing the judiciary.
From the media conference held by the probable candidate for Benaulim constituency it seems that she is testing the waters to face the press. That the presspersons attending the briefing did a shabby job of it is a different aspect. However it seems that they too were under influence of her father. Otherwise why did they not question her about the tenets of law, ‘innocent until proven guilty’
That apart, I would like to remind the immature spokesperson that she should not throw stones at others while living in glass house. There have been so many allegations of corruption against Valanka, her father and uncle, both of who are ministers in the current government and her answer to that is produce the proof.
Before going into allegations, I will first place facts against Valanka Alemao, recently she was disqualified as a candidate for the post of Youth Congress president and the reason being she used the chief minister Digambar Kamat and her influential father Churchill Alemao to canvas for her. This is also corruption as she is trying to lure youth to vote for her either through inducement or intimidation. The Alemao family tried to move heaven and hell to turn it around but nothing changed, they even threatened to topple the government but failed. This stigma that Valanka was disqualified in her first intra party election will also stick to her like her shadow.
More recently PWD minister Churchill Alemao made a statement at a public meeting in Benaulim that he is going to set-up a sewerage plant in the constituency only if his daughter is elected. This is also inducement to voters amounting to corruption.
Further there have been lot of times that PWD has taken up roads in Benaulim constituency. Propaganda is made in the locality that Valanka Alemao is building a road. How can a lay person or even a minister say that they have constructed a road? Every house has a right for an access by law, no minister is doing a favour nor digging into his personal wealth to construct a road, it is the exchequer’s money that is spent to construct a public road. Unfortunately most of the roads that are said to be constructed by Valanka have been washed away in less than three months and the reason, be best left at Government Rest House at Monte Dongor. Now this is also corruption as Valanka was using government money to promote herself as a social worker and candidate thereby luring voters to vote for her.
There are many allegations against the daughter of Churchill Alemao by PWD contractors but I will restrain from going into the details. But sticking to facts PWD minister has been humbled several times in the assembly by the Opposition. Charges were traded against him for corruption in the distribution of water tanks without approval from the cabinet and finance department. Fatorda MLA brought it to the notice of the assembly that PWD department had purchased 200 litres water tanks at the cost of Rs. 7000 each, when a 1000 litres want tank cost Rs. 5000 in the open market. Where did the difference disappear. Recently Opposition Leader cornered him on the Rs. 100 crores Japanese funded sewerage project and water augmentation project, wherein the PWD kept on hiking the estimate of the project report and the Japanese agency kept on rejecting it because they felt that the estimates prepared by PWD department were not realistic. One can easily draw conclusion why the estimates were being hiked every time by 40 percent instead of usual 15 percent.
Coming to roads constructed by the PWD during the tenure of Churchill Alemao most of which have been washed away during rains, Infact Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar took the minister on a whirlwind tour of the capital city which is the former’s constituency to show the latter the state of the roads. The reason for newly hotmixed roads to wash away in one rain is because the cream (read 15 percent of the cost of road in cash) is diverted into some account. Is this not corruption?
Coming to Urban Development minister Joaquim Alemao, Comptroller and Auditor General of India has exposed his heist in their audit report. They have uncovered his lapses purportedly committed to suit his pockets rather than for public benefit. 5 Sweeping machines bought at the cost of crores of rupees have not even been used once and are dumped in the yards of different Municipalities. Wastage of public money. Is this not corruption?
Goa State Urban Development Agency under Joaquim Alemao, tailor-made a tender to suit the needs of Hyquip Company and awarded the contract of treating garbage at Sonsoddo to this unknown company. Whooping Rs. 7.84 crores were flushed down the drains for this experiment. Is criminal waste of exchequer’s money not corruption, then what is?
As a minister also holding Fisheries portfolio, Joaquim Alemao poured crores of rupees in the pilot prawn hatchery project at Benaulim to oversee its demise.
Even High Court has rapped ministries under Joaquim Alemao on the knukles for wasteful expenditure. Infact High Court ordered sunbays built by GSUDA to be demolished and cost recovered from officials of GSUDA. All these are facts, which are recorded in the High Court and in the audit report. The question is why did the minister take up such projects, if it was only because of the huge amount of money involved than the answer is obvious.
And we have here an immature spokesperson of the Congress party pointing fingers at others when her house itself has to be set straight. In conclusion this reminds me of an old saying, “Washing and washing a crow never becomes a crane.”
Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com or SMS 9422437029)
(Nisser Dias writes a regular column in GT every Thursday).
For Goa News Log on to WWW.nizgoenkar.net
November 13, 2011
November 12, 2011
ADV. AMIT DESAI DECLINES TO RETURN GOA GOVERNMENT'S MONEY.
WITH THE BACKING OF TWO FORMER SUPREME COURT JUDGES ADV AMIT DESAI DECLINES TO RETURN THE FIVE LAKHS
Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desai has declined to refund to the Goa Government the five lakhs he was paid for the four hearings he never appeared for before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Acting on a complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues the Superintendent of Police North Goa Mr. Arvind Gawas had by a letter dated 21st October directed Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desai to urgently refund the five lakhs that was erroneously paid to him under a bonafied belief that he had appeared for those four hearings before the Bombay High Court at Goa in the Ryan Fernandes confirmation of death sentence case
In his reply to SP Arvind Gawas, Adv. Amit Desai has stated that when he was approached by Advocate General Subodh Kantak to appear in the case for the State of Goa he had clearly indicated that he would be charging Rs 1,25,000 for each day he was required to be in Goa either for meetings, preparation or appearances in the Court. Adv. Desai has further stated that he was also entitled to Rs 25.000 per hour for any conference held at Mumbai.
Stating that his appointment was done by the Law Department at the request of the Advocate General, Adv. Amit Desai has stated that he has raised bills as per the actual understanding.
Adv. Amit Desai has also sent the Goa Police the legal opinions of two former Supreme Court judges Justice B.N.Srikrishna and Justice S.N.Variava from whom he had sought a written opinion to support his case. Interestingly the legal opinion given by Justice B.N.Srikrishna is dated 19th October which is two days prior to SP Arvind Gawas’s letter to Adv. Amit Desai.
Justice B.N.Srikrishna in his 14 page legal opinion has stated that in his opinion Adv. Amit Desai was entitled to charge conference fees for all the days he was in Goa.
Stating that fees charged by Adv. Amit Desai were reasonable, Justice B.N.Srikrishna has opined that the government order stating “per appearance” did not state that it was appearance before the Court.
Further stating that it would be unfair to embarrass Senior Advocate Amit Desai by raising such a dispute, Justice B.N.Srikrishna has also opined that instead of nitpicking the Government of Goa should take a reasonable view in the matter.
Justice S.N.Variava in his 4 page legal opinion while stating that Adv. Amit Desai was known to be a very busy and much sought after Advocate in Mumbai has opined that the term “per appearance” must necessarily mean “appearance in Goa” and not “appearance in Court”.
Justice S.N.Variava has further warned that Goa Government will face a situation where its cases are not properly represented as it will find it difficult to get Senior Advocates from outside Goa to come to Goa and appear in matters on behalf of the Government.
Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desai has declined to refund to the Goa Government the five lakhs he was paid for the four hearings he never appeared for before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Acting on a complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues the Superintendent of Police North Goa Mr. Arvind Gawas had by a letter dated 21st October directed Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desai to urgently refund the five lakhs that was erroneously paid to him under a bonafied belief that he had appeared for those four hearings before the Bombay High Court at Goa in the Ryan Fernandes confirmation of death sentence case
In his reply to SP Arvind Gawas, Adv. Amit Desai has stated that when he was approached by Advocate General Subodh Kantak to appear in the case for the State of Goa he had clearly indicated that he would be charging Rs 1,25,000 for each day he was required to be in Goa either for meetings, preparation or appearances in the Court. Adv. Desai has further stated that he was also entitled to Rs 25.000 per hour for any conference held at Mumbai.
Stating that his appointment was done by the Law Department at the request of the Advocate General, Adv. Amit Desai has stated that he has raised bills as per the actual understanding.
Adv. Amit Desai has also sent the Goa Police the legal opinions of two former Supreme Court judges Justice B.N.Srikrishna and Justice S.N.Variava from whom he had sought a written opinion to support his case. Interestingly the legal opinion given by Justice B.N.Srikrishna is dated 19th October which is two days prior to SP Arvind Gawas’s letter to Adv. Amit Desai.
Justice B.N.Srikrishna in his 14 page legal opinion has stated that in his opinion Adv. Amit Desai was entitled to charge conference fees for all the days he was in Goa.
Stating that fees charged by Adv. Amit Desai were reasonable, Justice B.N.Srikrishna has opined that the government order stating “per appearance” did not state that it was appearance before the Court.
Further stating that it would be unfair to embarrass Senior Advocate Amit Desai by raising such a dispute, Justice B.N.Srikrishna has also opined that instead of nitpicking the Government of Goa should take a reasonable view in the matter.
Justice S.N.Variava in his 4 page legal opinion while stating that Adv. Amit Desai was known to be a very busy and much sought after Advocate in Mumbai has opined that the term “per appearance” must necessarily mean “appearance in Goa” and not “appearance in Court”.
Justice S.N.Variava has further warned that Goa Government will face a situation where its cases are not properly represented as it will find it difficult to get Senior Advocates from outside Goa to come to Goa and appear in matters on behalf of the Government.
November 11, 2011
STOP USING CHURCH MONEY RECKLESSLY.
SWAMI AGNIVESH & BISHOPS from VATICAN.
Activist Swami Agnivesh a week ago has written to Pope Benedict XVI a letter (which is now in the public domain) asking him to impose a "moratorium" on religious conversions, saying such acts ignite strong reactions in countries like India……….its time lay catholics also started writing letters to Pope Benedict calling upon him to instruct the Clergy, Missionaries, Caritas, Catholic Relief Services, etc to stop evangelization activities in India for the next 100 years and utilize the church wealth, assets, funds, resources, vacant church properties & foreign donations for the benefit of poor catholic parishioners & reserve 50% seats for catholics in catholic institutions including catholic schools…….obviously the Pope will ignore such letters……..so the only option left with lay catholics in India is to write letters to PrimeMinister & Members of Indian Parliament to enact a law making it illegal for a foreign power to appoint Bishops for India…….. whether it is the Bishop of the diocese or the Parish Priest of the Church these people should be selected & elected by local catholics of the diocese then only the lay catholics will have some control on how the church should be run in India……..those non-catholics in India who want to convert to catholicism on their own free will or want to visit a catholic church like many non-catholics in bombay do by visiting the Mount Mary Church at Bandra are most welcome but why waste church resources on allurement & fraudulent conversion activities.
Inspite of loosing all their agricultural lands in bombay………..and inspite of the Clergy & Missionaries ignoring their plight……….and inspite of all the Harassment, intimidations and strong arm tactics by the Maharashtra state, Bombay municipal corp, collectors office, politicians, buildersmafia, landmafia, politicalgoons & slumlords……..the Christian Natives of bombay locally known by the name EastIndians ( www bombayland.blogspot com ) have neither abandoned the Christian faith and neither fear to give their children Christian names………..The command to endure suffering is just another part of a Christian's life. Faithful Christians of all ages have suffered; we are not the only ones. We should expect more sufferings to come because we are living in a country which is hostile to Christians & Christianity.
The only sad part is that the Catholic Clergy/Missionaries in Bombay are not using the church wealth, vacant church properties, foreign donations, etc for the benefit of poor christian parishioners……..but yes the eastindians ( www east-indians com ) need to become ambitious, aggressive, combative & politically active and agitate for their rights including demanding 5% quota in Government jobs in Bombay. Swami Agnivesh should also write letters to leaders of all right wing hindu groups to deploy their cadres at the Pakistan & China borders……….and write letters to Builders, Corporates & Industrialists in India to disclose how much money they have donated to Politicians every year along with the names of the politicians……..and write letters to the Election Commission to disqualify a candidate if he is in construction business or directly/indirectly associated with the builders lobby……..and write letters to Election Commission to prevent anyone who has encroached land and created slums from voting during elections………and write letters to Prime Minister & all MPs to strictly enforce the two child policy and pass stringent laws against corruption – femalefoeticide/infantifice – blackmoney – etc……..and abolish the land acquisition act……..and write letters to Government to abolish the tax system & instead print extra currency notes to pay the salaries & pensions of Government servants………and write letters to Maharashtra govt. to dismantle the incestuous network of the politicians – landmafia – slumlords – rationoffice – bureaucrats – police – collectors office.
Jorge Monteiro,
Bombay.
Activist Swami Agnivesh a week ago has written to Pope Benedict XVI a letter (which is now in the public domain) asking him to impose a "moratorium" on religious conversions, saying such acts ignite strong reactions in countries like India……….its time lay catholics also started writing letters to Pope Benedict calling upon him to instruct the Clergy, Missionaries, Caritas, Catholic Relief Services, etc to stop evangelization activities in India for the next 100 years and utilize the church wealth, assets, funds, resources, vacant church properties & foreign donations for the benefit of poor catholic parishioners & reserve 50% seats for catholics in catholic institutions including catholic schools…….obviously the Pope will ignore such letters……..so the only option left with lay catholics in India is to write letters to PrimeMinister & Members of Indian Parliament to enact a law making it illegal for a foreign power to appoint Bishops for India…….. whether it is the Bishop of the diocese or the Parish Priest of the Church these people should be selected & elected by local catholics of the diocese then only the lay catholics will have some control on how the church should be run in India……..those non-catholics in India who want to convert to catholicism on their own free will or want to visit a catholic church like many non-catholics in bombay do by visiting the Mount Mary Church at Bandra are most welcome but why waste church resources on allurement & fraudulent conversion activities.
Inspite of loosing all their agricultural lands in bombay………..and inspite of the Clergy & Missionaries ignoring their plight……….and inspite of all the Harassment, intimidations and strong arm tactics by the Maharashtra state, Bombay municipal corp, collectors office, politicians, buildersmafia, landmafia, politicalgoons & slumlords……..the Christian Natives of bombay locally known by the name EastIndians ( www bombayland.blogspot com ) have neither abandoned the Christian faith and neither fear to give their children Christian names………..The command to endure suffering is just another part of a Christian's life. Faithful Christians of all ages have suffered; we are not the only ones. We should expect more sufferings to come because we are living in a country which is hostile to Christians & Christianity.
The only sad part is that the Catholic Clergy/Missionaries in Bombay are not using the church wealth, vacant church properties, foreign donations, etc for the benefit of poor christian parishioners……..but yes the eastindians ( www east-indians com ) need to become ambitious, aggressive, combative & politically active and agitate for their rights including demanding 5% quota in Government jobs in Bombay. Swami Agnivesh should also write letters to leaders of all right wing hindu groups to deploy their cadres at the Pakistan & China borders……….and write letters to Builders, Corporates & Industrialists in India to disclose how much money they have donated to Politicians every year along with the names of the politicians……..and write letters to the Election Commission to disqualify a candidate if he is in construction business or directly/indirectly associated with the builders lobby……..and write letters to Election Commission to prevent anyone who has encroached land and created slums from voting during elections………and write letters to Prime Minister & all MPs to strictly enforce the two child policy and pass stringent laws against corruption – femalefoeticide/infantifice – blackmoney – etc……..and abolish the land acquisition act……..and write letters to Government to abolish the tax system & instead print extra currency notes to pay the salaries & pensions of Government servants………and write letters to Maharashtra govt. to dismantle the incestuous network of the politicians – landmafia – slumlords – rationoffice – bureaucrats – police – collectors office.
Jorge Monteiro,
Bombay.
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