Goan... Goan... Gone!

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You know what?

I'm tired. Sick and tired.

I have just gotten off the election juggernaut when it's time to clamber back on again... For goodness sake! The ink from the last time isn't even off my finger yet!

In a land famous for sun sand and surf, Goa's politicians don't seem to want any of it... instead preferring to spend all their time playing their favorite sport "Topple The Government".

The Digambar Kamat led coalition government was virtually reduced to a minority last night as 5 members of his government slithered over to the other side. The government has been in power for less than 2 months. And the man has barely gotten a chance to govern! His first month was spent in wheeler dealing for ministerial berths. And it was a a beautiful study in how adults could resemble 4 year old kids throwing temper tantrums.

Dharnas, hunger strikes, gheraoing...secret meetings, money-exchanging hands, favors being called in... seriously! I mean we could change the name of the state to Kgoa and it could be a soap produced by Balaji Telefilms as perhaps Kgoa Ki Kahani.

Ever since Goa attained statehood on the 30th of May 1987, governments have been erected and fallen in a manner reminiscent of a Mumbai building in the rains. It may be the Goan people who cast their votes but it is Gandhi (on a fresh crisp note only) who has a final say on who gets to form the government and who gets what ministry. The haggling and the horse-trading would put a fish vendor at Dadar Market to shame. And depending on how much money you have, yesterday's enemies are today's friends.

It was precisely because of this that locals refer to the legislative assembly as Ali Baba's cave.... which comes complete with it's 40 thieves.

But maybe it's a case of getting what you deserve.

This time round too... despite the many sting operations, news paper editorials and general market gossip on how all politicians were corrupt but some more than others, the Goan electorate went right ahead and elected the same politicians who were earlier in the news for robbing Goa of her greenery. Honest men like Mathany Saldana fell while Visvajit Rane, the main protagonist of sting operations by 2 of India's leading news channels, was elected. So was Antanasio Monserrate...chief perpetrator of the Goa Regional Development Plan that was opposed by so many Goans that it became a mass movement headed by the Goa Bachao Abhiyaan. The list doesn't stop there... it goes on...and scares the hell out of me!

I think Manohar Parrikar is an excellent administrator.... I even think that Goa, under Parrikar, would go from strength to strength.... But I don't think this is the way to go about it. If democracy is about the voice of the people, then the voice of the people said that they wanted the congress, led by Digambhar Kamat to rule the state for 5 years. IT MUST BE HEARD. And no matter what I think of the Congress party, I am disappointed that Parrikar chose this route to power. And just look at the men (and woman) he has taken up with.... Sigh!

Why can we not do something?

As goans, let us boycott ALL politicians and parties. When they come to your doorstep asking for votes, ask them to justify their actions. If people power could force them to scrap the regional plan, can it not also make them accountable for their actions? Disqualify anybody who has defected more than twice from standing for elections again. One defection can be put down to conscience... but any more than that can be put down to someone else's bank balance.

Enough is enough! It's time we got off our butts, dusted the sand off and jammed our hats on our heads firmly and got down to doing something about our elected representatives.

Our sobeet Goa is hurtling down the road to perdition. Are we going just sit susegaad and do nothing about it?

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This is for the gentleman (??) who in response to my previous post hoped that I would have only daughters.... Well, THANK YOU!!!! I happen to think, being a daughter myself, that they are god's gift to any parent. And as for their sex education, I will gladly lead by example. After all, better to have them informed and aware rather than naïve and pregnant. Don't you agree?