INTERVIEW OF AIRES RODRIGUES: Interviewed by Niz Goenkar

Niz Goenkar interviewed the noted Social activist and fighter of injustice Adv. Aires Rodrigues who is in the forefront tackling quite a lot of illegal and unlawful issues in Goa.

NIZ GOENKAR: Hi Dotor Aires Rodrigues, Niz Goenkar welcomes you here on this forum for chat. It is wonderful to be chatting with you. I know and have heard a lot about your work on the social field and your fights against injustice and abuse of power.

NIZ GOENKAR: Niz Goenkar does not think you need our introduction as you are very active on Niz Goenkar. To begin with: What do you think of the present scenario of Goa?

Noted Social Activist and Advocate Aires Rodrigues

AIRES: I am very saddened and extremely worried at the current state of Goa

NG: Where do you think the common man of Goa stand?

AIRES: The future of every Goan is bleak and a matter of great concern.

NG:  What about the Locals of Goa – what do you think, where do they stand?

AIRES:  With the uncontrolled migration into Goa if not already we will soon be strangers in our own land.

NG:  What do you have to say at the functioning of the Goa Government?

AIRES:  The current government is the worst government Goa has seen since Liberation.

NG:  Do you not think that some action has to be taken by the Bishop of Goa against the erring priests or at least initiate some sort of inquiry?

AIRES: The Priests should be made accountable for their acts.

NG:  Do you see any ray of hope in getting justice?

AIRES:  Justice seems to be eluding every justice seeker

NG:  Coming to the law: I really appreciate you, the way you are tackling the AG Subodh Kantak and the Governor. Let me ask you about Subodh first. Is it possible to get back all the money the government spent on Subodh Kantak?

AIRES: I have been demanding that Advocate General of Goa should be paid nothing more than his counterparts in Maharastra, Karnataka or Gujarat where the AG’s are paid on the average Rs 50, 000 a month. Subodh Kantak has been paid Rs five crores over the last five years. All money that he has illegally claimed has to be recovered by the Goa Government.

NG:  How does the judiciary work when it comes to Subodh Kantak’s case.

AIRES: The courts and the people of Goa are testimony to his incompetence as Advocate General of Goa.

NG:  Even after being paid highly, I have often observed that the work is not done properly and there are lot of loopholes left in cases he fights. What do you say to that?

AIRES: It is for the Courts and the Government to crack the whip on a non-performing Advocate General.

NG: Is there any way one can get this man out?

AIRES:  It is only the Governor and the Chief Minister who can do so. We can only pray that God give them the wisdom to act. It’s high time we get an honest, competent and dedicated Advocate General.

NG:  You have been working hard to get the truth out about him, Niz Goenkar supports you in all your fights against the wrongs. Do you think you will succeed in this?

AIRES:  I am confidant that the truth will prevail and Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak will be exposed.

NG:  Aires could you please tell me what you think of the prevailing police-drugs-mafia nexus.

AIRES:  The issue of drugs has to be dealt with an iron hand.

NG: What do you think of PI Ashish Shirodkar and his group’s Drugs-Mafia case? Do you think it has been mishandled?

AIRES:  The courts need to supervise and monitor the investigation.

NG:  We feel that Chandrakant Salgaoncar has been deliberately sabotaging the case at the instance of the Home Minister Ravi Naik and the opposition too says that. Can you please highlight this issue a bit for the readers?

AIRES:  The whole administration in the State has collapsed. As I said unless the Courts monitor the investigation things will be pushed under the carpet.

NG:  People also feel that somehow Roy Naik is involved in this drugs racket and have received many calls from Goa pertaining to that. What have you to say on that?

AIRES: I am not aware of it.

NG:  Do you have any ideas why Ravi and the CID Crime branch refuses to hand over the case to an independent Investigating Agency like CBI or NIA?

AIRES:  Nothing much may happen giving the case to the CBI. We have seen how this Congress Bureau of Investigation operates.

NG: Now the recent case is of PSI Sunil Gudlar – Do you think there might be more cops involved in such scams?

AIRES: It would need to be investigated in depth to sort out and weed the remaining rotten apples.

NG:  Do you think that same stories will be repeated in Gudlar case?

AIRES: Let us wait and see

NG:  What about the Bicholim case, where the daughter and the mother has been brutally assaulted by the Police. We have been receiving lot of comments on Niz Goenkar from the people of Bicholim or is it exaggerated by public?

AIRES:  I have not heard much about the case.

NG:  Can you throw some light on the controversory surrounding the Goa Law Commission Chairman Mr. Ramakant Khalap?

AIRES: All State Law Commissions in the country are currently headed by either retired Supreme Court or High Court Judges. Except Maharastra where the Law Commission is headed by a senior retired bureaucrat and has amongst others two retired District Court judges as members. The Goa Law Commission Chairman Mr. Ramakant Khalap is an active politician who is also a spokesman of the Congress party in Goa as well as the Chairman of the Mapusa Urban Cooperative Bank of Goa. It may be also recalled that Mr. Ramakant Khalap was charge sheeted by the Goa Police in Mapusa Urban bank related corruption cases which were later “politically” withdrawn by the Goa Government. On the day he was appointed to head the Law Commission the three charge sheets were pending against him.

NG:  Do you agree that Goa needs a change?

AIRES: It is an undisputed fact but the change can occur only if the people resolve to do it.

NG:  Before I forget can you say something on the corruption that goes on in Goa?

AIRES: Today corruption in Goa has reached its peak. Less said about it the better. The law enforcers have become the law breakers

NG:  What about the pre 1961 rule and post 1961 rule? Any difference?

AIRES:  I was born in 1960, just a year before Liberation. I have seen every government from that of Dayanand Bandodkar. Seeing the State of affairs today it is time to fight for another Liberation

NG:  Can you say a few words on Dr. Jack Sequeira?

AIRES: I was privileged to know Dr. Jack Sequeira and address various public meetings along with him in the 1970’s. In his death Goa lost a true leader. We have failed to do anything to respect the memory of someone who selflessly toiled to save Goa and Goans.

NG: Don’t you think that the statue of Dr. Jack Sequeira should have been erected in Panjim City instead of the traitor Bandodkar?

AIRES: I would strongly disagree with you that Dayanand Bandodkar was a traitor. Most of the leaders of the present government may be classified under that category

NG: n the end what is your message to the people of Goa?

AIRES: Let us put our hands together to Save what remains of Goa. Posterity will not forgive us if we abdicate this bounden duty of ours. Let us fight all injustice and use the powerful weapon by way of the Right to Information Act to cleanse Goa of the social evils it is embroiled in.

Thank you very much Dotour Aires for giving Niz Goenkar your precious time and I thank you on behalf of my Team of 7. May God bless you and give you more courage and guts to fight the corrupts and crooks in Goa