The treachery of the eight Congressmen who jumped ship to join the BJP has left political analysts, social activists and the common man troubled and disappointed.
Instead of acting as a strong opposition in the Assembly to counter the flaws of the ruling dispensation, they chose to use the lame excuse of leaving the Congress “for the development of Goa”, which is unacceptable to many citizens.
Adv Cleofato Coutinho opined, “I feel people are fed up with what is happening in Goan politics. One should understand that democracy doesn’t mean elections only. But we need to have faith in the democratic system, which the people tend to lose somehow. These eight MLAs have not acted with the integrity and morality which was expected of them by the people of Goa. But there is a section in the society that has got its vested interest and wants this political circus to take place.”
Xencor Polgi, an anti-coal activist from Mormugao, was furious about this unexpected political development. He expressed his anger, “The eight Congress MLAs jumping to the BJP is totally wrong. These people, who were pointing out all the failures and negative aspects of the BJP government, have now exposed themselves.”
Polgi lamented over the greed and lack of integrity that drove the eight into the arms of the BJP. He urged the people to boycott the MLAs for playing with the sentiments of the people. “I feel the main reason these MLAs sought refuge in the BJP is to safeguard their illicit activities from being exposed,” Polgi added.
Social activist and political analyst Soter D’Souza scathingly expressed his opinion on the issue. He said, “It’s a shameful situation in a state where the literacy rate is high. The entry of the eight MLAs into the BJP, when they were actually supposed to be playing the role of the opposition, is a clear-cut mockery of citizens and democracy.”
It’s a shameful situation in a state where the literacy rate is high. The entry of the eight MLAs into the BJP, when they were actually supposed to be playing the role of the opposition, is a clear-cut mockery of citizens and democracy
Soter D’Souza, social activist
He said that the problem lay not just with the behaviour of the politicians, but also with the people who elected them repeatedly. “The time has come for Goans to introspect about where they have failed,” he added.
D’Souza would not blame the Congress party entirely, as the same could happen to any political party in the opposition. He further said, “BJP is the political wing of the RSS. The RSS has only one goal, and that is to make India a Hindu Rashtra by obtaining a majority in both houses. The Congress party may revive at any time considering its pan-India following and presence. Therefore, it would be incorrect to say that the Congress party is doomed in Goa.”