STATE BJP GOVERNMENT STARTS TO EXPOSE ITS... State BJP government starts to expose its governance. — By Nisser Dias January 7, 2015Articles00 Nisser DiasIt is very rare or rather almost unknown that the government of the same political party exposes its shallowness and its empty promises during the tenure of its governance. Here we have a situation wherein BJP’s new chief minister exposes his predecessor thus leaving a bad taste in the mouth of the people. Yes, this is about the BJP government in Goa who during the two and half years reign of Manohar Parrikar as chief minister – lots of promises were made to the people to transform the state, to eradicate corruption, to bring in good governance, to bring about development of the state. Populist welfare schemes were implemented, to elevate the needy, women and girl child. Even more ideas were floated and minds were converted about how Congress had ruined the State. Today we are in the position to see that there is hardly any difference in the working or governance of the two national parties. To some extent it could be said that Congress worked for the people to a small extent while the BJP functions for a selected few like the builders, casino owners, mine owners, non-Goan contractors etc. People like social activists, members of judiciary, RTI activists, journalists, NGOs, upright citizens who truly want to see a change in Goa are a lot that is despised and loathed. That apart BJP or rather Manohar Parrikar as a leader of Opposition was firing from all cylinders at the way Congress was functioning or bad governance by the government. People thought given a chance Parrikar would bring about a transformation and hence was elected to power. Yes, immediately he did waive off Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol bringing much needed relief- people were happy, he introduced populist scheme – beneficiaries were happy, he increased the salaries and perks of MLAs and ministers – elected representatives were happy. But today if we look back in retrospection, it looks that then chief minister Parrikar tried to pull wool over our eyes so that we would sing praises of him and give the BJP another term in power. Almost three years in its tenure the bubble has finally burst. Of course it had burst earlier when Manohar Parrikar government sold stock and pumped the money into the system. We did not realize it then because VAT continued to be waived off and we filled up our cars with petrol at lower rate than anywhere in the country. We did not care a damn because beneficiaries continued to get their monthly dole. Today Manohar Parrikar has been elevated as Union Defence minister, former Health minister Laxmikant Parsekar has been promoted as Chief Minister, the bad financial situation has also escalated and the government has no idea how to mop-up revenue for the state to stay afloat. No mining revenue, bad tourism season but CM Parsekar has to keep the show going and the result is; the government is finding it difficult to pay the dole to beneficiaries, VAT on petrol has been re-introduced and the biggest worry is, will the government stop the development projects undertaken by it. People of the state had raised genuine concerns of BJP government’s priorities of constructing a third bridge over River Mandovi but our apprehensions were cast aside. District hospital undertaken by Digambar Kamat led Congress government is screaming for attention and this government keeps on extending its own deadlines. PWD officials have been cautioning for years that Zuari bridge is weak but there seems to no sign of bringing in funds from the Centre for construction of another bridge. For two years then chief minister Parrikar kept feeding us stories that the UPA government was not co-operating and responding. Eight months have elapsed since BJP took over the reins at the Centre, could the state BJP government tell us why funds have not been made available. There are so many other examples but the point is when the BJP was in the Opposition they had gone to town with Congress’ mal-administration, corruption, inefficiency etc. but it is almost three years since BJP has been in power in the State and the situation is the same. Manohar Parrikar as Leader of Opposition attacked the Congress for issuing licences to off-shore casinos and allowing them in the river Mandovi. When he took over as CM he not only renewed casino license but also issued licence to a bigger floating casino. Ironically he too has not managed to remove them from river Mandovi. And chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar says casinos are here to stay. This shows the BJP in a very poor light because while in Opposition they cried for Congress’ blood for ruining the state and promised to change all that, promised to get the state back of track of development, show zero tolerance to corruption and many more issues but almost three years down the tenure current BJP chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar is exposing the bad decisions and mis-deeds of his predecessor that too from his own political party.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 04:30:11 +0000