Friday 29 March 2024

News Analysed, Opinions Expressed

OFFBREAK

The state of the State

 

What is paraded is ‘fake’ government and governance through connivance of few bureaucrats directly reporting to the BJP national high-command.


The abusive and offensive way, in which the cabinet form of parliamentary democracy functions in the tiny tourist state of Goa has no parallel in the constitutional history of India, regarded as the mansion of the world’s largest democracy. The Goa mode of political executive with a headless and invisible chief minister has also no rival in the modern political history of the world. We have the world’s spectacular natural and manmade wonders. Goa’s current political cabinet ostensibly under the comatose chief ministerial leadership of Manohar Parrikar will be the first infamous wonder of parliamentary democracy. A petite State of forty reasonably literate MLAs constituting the State Legislature, a populace of around 15 lakh admired for their social harmony and liberal life-style and over-saturated organized media presence are engineering the death of parliamentary democracy through their silence and inaction.

Scene 1:

The Chief Minister is invisible for over four months. It’s no longer the state of ailing and ill health.  The situation is of irreversible coma, though no official sources are prepared to confirm. The pilot of the cabinet is unable to recognize, read, write, instruct, order and consent. Under such circumstances, even any delegation of authority by the present incumbent would not be a valid delegation as it is hit by the vice of lack of competency. Yet, the public is fed that the Chief Minister is handling the constitutional duties along with 35 portfolios. There is no clue on the extra-constitutional machinery or coterie handling the duties and obligations of the head of the cabinet.

Scene 2:

The ministers who comprise the state cabinet are criticizing and attacking their own government. This is constitutional blasphemy and unacceptable. The Minister for Revenue & Information Technology is on record that the administration is not functioning and that the bureaucracy is misusing the CM’s health. The Minister for Town & Country Planning joins to echo the same tune. The Health Minister takes the ‘Suo Motu’ decision to ban fish imports from neighboring states without any cabinet consultation. The Minister for P.W.D. washes the woes and demands in the media. MLAs are demanding an audience with the Chief Minister to discuss their issues. The silence of the Chief Minister is no longer an enigma. The cabinet is headless in theory and practice. It is a clear indication that the constitutional machinery and collective responsibility has collapsed. There is no constitutional government in the State. What is paraded is ‘fake’ government and governance through connivance of few bureaucrats directly reporting to the BJP national high-command.

Scene 3:

All along it looked that the Governor of Goa was pretending to be blind and deaf, working at the complete behest of the national leadership of BJP. With the more recent state of affairs, it would not be wrong to conclude that the incumbent to the office of the Governor is indeed dumb lacking credentials to occupy the august constitutional post. The Governor is under an oath not only to defend the law and constitution but also to work for well-being of the people of the State. When the entire constitutional machinery collapses, it is the bounden duty of the Governor at least to make relevant moves and assessment. The Governor seems to be content in the ivory tower with no interest even to make minimum inquiries to maintain the dignity and decorum of the constitutional office.

 Scene 4:

The State has flooded presence of media but there is no voice in the press demanding an audience with the Chief Minister. If the access was blocked on grounds only of health, it would be a different matter. It is evident that the iron wall is raised to hide the current health status of the Chief Minister. Fake news about health is released by CMO for public consumption. The people are intelligent to understand that the news released about Chief Minister conducting meetings and granting approvals is equally fake. If the bureaucrats from all-India cadres are celebrating such low levels of unprofessionalism, ethics and morals, it’s a sad commentary of what was envisaged to be the steel frame of India and hence granted constitutional protection, privileges and immunities.

Scene 5:

As we know, social media can be used and abused. The comments about the Chief Minister due to the stubborn attitude are spoiling the social harmony and the cultural values that Goa and Goans have always espoused. The reality could be different. The Chief Minister might have really relinquished the Chair, not knowing that the business is still conducted under his name by chosen bureaucrats and the coterie of BJP politicians. The BJP social media soldiers were on the offensive in the initial stages indulging in character assassination of those who demanded change in leadership. Probably, realizing the status today, they are adopting a defensive approach of propagating social welfare schemes and infrastructure works during reign of the Chief Minister.

Under the present circumstances, it is for the Governor and the MLAs to take affirmative action. The Governor is failing the constitutional position. There is no point for the cabinet ministers and MLAs to make a drama to win public confidence by airing criticism against the government before the media. The people can read through this game. If they feel they are accountable to the people, they need to knock the doors of the Governor and shake this constitutional authority from its either pretended or ignorant slumber.  The media, as a pillar of democracy should now call it, enough. Enough of functioning as postmen of ministers and MLAs reporting their crocodile tears to the people. Question them on the weapons provided to them under the Constitution for redress of their grievances.

Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author's own.



MINING ROYALTY:

Each Goan For Each Month Must Get Ten Thousand Rupees!

 
Jack De Goan |

MGP is very serious about becoming CM, then no matter with BJP or Congress.

If MGP becomes CM then GFP will demand Dy.CM.

This means either the Government is of Congress or BJP, CM will be from MGP and Dy.CM will be from GFP.

Better this Government is dissolved and re-election with Lok Sabha.

 
Jack De Goan |

Blogger's Profile

 

Prabhakar Timble

Mr Prabhakar Timble is an educationist and a legal expert. He has served several educational institutions, especially as the Principal of Government College at Quepem, Kare College of Law in Madgao as well as couple of Management Institutes. He was also the State Election Commissioner of Goa.

 

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