SHAME ON INDIA FOR ITS MISERABLE PERFORMANCE IN LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS.

As an Indian citizen, with my head down in shame, I pen down these lines showing my dissatisfaction and disappointment over the pathetic and deplorable showing of India in this 2012 London Olympics. A mighty and lengthy country India having a mighty number of population in the world and second only to China and NOT winning a single Gold Medal means not a shame? Of course, what a shame it is!! Winning 4 Bronzes and two Silvers is not a pride but a shame for a country of India’s magnitude, dimension and population. If there was any gold medal for CORRUPTION, surely the most corrupt country India would get GOLD MEDAL in this category.

A small country like Jamaica with a very small population and winning 12 Medals including 4 Golds with record breaking performances means really a superb achievement. A country like Ethiopia where people are starving can win a medal means great performance compared to India that boast of its Atomic power. Even Uganda a country in chaos is winning a gold medal means a great achievement. The newly independent nations splitted from Soviet Russia and winning gold medals in different disciplines while India independent since last 7 decades cannot win even a single gold medal means something is wrong with India and its top administrators specially those who are in-charge of running sports administration.

What good India will receive in sporting field when the chief of Indian Olympic Association Mr. Suresh Kalmadi starts looting sports fund meant for the development of Indian sports? Have anyone heard anywhere in the world the chief of Olympic Association imprisoned for misappropriation of Association funds? No! Nowhere else except in India, a disgraceful country, a corrupt country with corrupt leaders who got no love for their country except for illicit money. And shamelessly Suresh Kalmadi is raising his ugly head when he should have committed suicide. If it was in Columbia, he would have been shot dead by now by the patriotic citizens. Such thieves appear on the scene only when the leaders of the nation are corrupt and dormant to the reality like our Indian leaders.

Manmohan Singh is not interested in Sports, so he is sleeping instead of showing his displeasure over the most disgraceful showing of India in London. Inspite of Russia winning so many gold medals even Putin showed his displeasure over his country's not too good showing.  Our premier Singh is sitting like a doll without raising his voice. Cameroon the British Premier was personally seen attending so many sports events thereby giving the required booster to the British athletes and showing his interest in sports. While our Sardarji is sleeping in Delhi without uttering a single word. In such a situation what India will attain at Olympics level? If our top leaders are immune to the poor performance of our athletes then how one can expect gold medals from our athletes?

India is having abundant sporting talent but it is simply wasted because our leaders are not interested to tap it at correct time and develop it further. Our leaders are so corrupt that the money allocated for the sports development is many times robbed by these "Chor"  leaders and administrators. Suresh Kalmadi is one Chor and like him there are so many down the line. Unfortunately instead of decreasing their number it is increasing.

Take the case of our rival and neighbour China almost equal in size and population easily defeated us not only on the battle field and in industrial and nuclear development but defeated us in sporting field also. This time in the London Olympics their rating in medal tally is second only to USA. When Beijing was allotted Olympic Games for 2008, China allocated a heavy budget for sports to produce world class sports persons who will be fit enough to win medals in the Olympics. China allocated Millions of  Dollars to produce each gold medal winning athlete and finally it paid the required dividends when China got highest number of medals in Beijing Olympics dethroning USA from the top position. Four years earlier at Athens Olympic China fired its salvo of its prowess in world sports.

India is following a lop sided policy in the development of its sports. It is a shame on India when it lost all its games in the Hockey. Once we were conquering the world in Hockey but now the novices like Belgium defeat us and defeat us heavily. India can produce world class and medal winning athletes if proper training is given by selecting proper persons at the proper age. But the most important among all is the dedicated and sincere persons at the helm of affairs to run the sports administration which India is lacking. India's  sports administrators should be really dedicated to this cause with patriotism and impartiality in doing proper selection.

Besides there should be abundant incentives and financial doles to the sports persons the way Indian Cricketers are getting. Thru facilities and financial doles youth should be motivated to take sports seriously.

In India Cricket has taken top attention while other disciplines are brought not only to the secondary but to the tertiary attention. In all respects cricket is doing well and this is happening only because Cricket is in the hands of appropriate administrators who know what is Cricket and how to run its administration successfully.

Finally while concluding I salute Great Britain for successfully organising London 2012 Olympics.  Well Done UK.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

OXEM GHODDLEM - NEW KONKANI BOOK.

Daniel F. De Souza is a well known Vasco based journalist writing in Konkani and English.  His Weekly Column in Herald on Vasco is very popular.  He has written many books and one of his latest books is the above.

In "OXEM GHODDLEM" Mr. Daniel writes the genuine happenings of the Tiatrists by interviwing them personally. It is very interesting to know the incidents happened in the life of these Tiatrists.

OXEM GHODDLEM is worth reading especially those interested in knowing something more of Tiatrists.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

LACK OF A FORMIDABLE OPPOSITION IS GOA’S BIGGEST THREAT.

 By Aires Rodrigues.

Lack of an effective Opposition is the biggest threat Goa faces today. With the current government being reduced to a virtual one man show there is no room left for even the muzzled Ministers and ruling MLA’s to speak out. Manohar Parrikar has mastered the art of justifying all his decisions and U turns. For democracy to survive there is need of astrong and vibrant Opposition to combat and expose this fallacy of theChief Minister. 

With that justification “for the sake of development and progress”some of the “Independents” and other MLAs have been singing the ruling  chorus possibly in an apparent hope to share some remaining crumbs ofthe spoils of office. In a democracy, the opposition plays asimportant a role as the government. For a strong and viablegovernment, an equally strong and viable opposition is a must. Such anopposition is the secret to the success of democracy.

The continued Corruption, nepotism and maladministration are obstacles in the growth of a cohesive social and political life in Goa and this can be checked by a vigilant opposition. By being vigilant, the opposition prevents the government from sliding into complacency.

The Opposition must be tough, because the voice of a weak opposition will be a cry in the wilderness. It is true that in a democracy, the majority will have their way, but the voice of the minority which must also be heard can be a formidable tool of influence. Opposition is one of the tripod stands in a democracy that must play its role actively for the system to nurture and grow. They should act out of anxiety andconcern that the democratic freedom is not lost. The safeguarding of democratic freedom is very essential. Opposition must restore the Government’s lost sense of direction by its crucial, creative,critical and constructive criticism.

Opposition should have the courage of its conviction by using it to the optimum level to enlighten the masses by objectively analyzing thegovernment’s drawbacks. They must always exhibit the qualities of imagination, integrity, independence and incorruptibility forged by aspirit of idealism. By possessing a vision and understanding to tackle the immense problems facing the people, after an objective analysis,it should be able to come up with worthwhile and long-lasting solutions.

Democracy implies the rule of the majority, which can turnauthoritarian in the absence of a strong opposition. The ruling party tends to develop dictatorial and tyrannical tendencies, if there is nostrong opposition. And all these unhealthy signs are already there forall to see in the functioning of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Avocal and sturdy opposition functions as a deterrent. It prevents andchecks misuse of authority by the ruling party.

In his earlier innings as Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar attempted to muzzle the press and had even served a shabbily draftedlegal notice on editors of all newspapers. If he is able to once againmanipulate and control the fourth estate it will be the last nail onGoa’s coffin. Like an effective and strong opposition the presence ofa free and unbiased press is indispensable for any democracy tosurvive.