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

NIZ GOENKAR WILL WIN GOA'S ASSEMBLY ELECTION THIS TIME SAYS PAUSILIP DOURADO by Bebdo

An interview of Pausilip Dourado a Niz Goenkar by Bebdo

Niz Goenkar will win Goa’s Assembly elections this time, says our candidate Pausilip Dourado

I am happy to inform my fellow Niz Goenkar brothers and sisters that in pursuance of our goal to bring in a socio-economic and political revolution in Goa and to preserve the unique identity of Goa, our culture, our language, our land and our heritage for our future generations to come, we have been grooming our young leaders for the battle ahead. The battle of the ballots which we call elections, is a very tricky affair and has to be fought on many fronts.

Niz Goenkar Candidate Mr. Pausilip D

Although, we have so far kept most of our leaders away from the public eye as a precautionary measure, it is sometimes necessary to bring in the open some of them, one by one. Our young leaders are devoted to the cause of Niz Goenkar and are even ready to give their blood to save Goa from being looted, raped and pillaged by the non-Goans and the illiterate-goonda politicians who are currently ruling us. Our young leaders have sworn an allegiance to Mother Goa and her children. Our young leaders have sworn that they would never allow our Mother Goa to be sold to the highest bidder as is being done right now by the Congress government with the help of the NCP (nagoenancho chorancho poxx). And our young leaders have sworn that they would ensure that Goa will always be for the Goans and not for the Ghanttis.

So presenting to you here my fellow Goan brothers and sisters, our first candidate for the Assembly Constituency of Nuvem. His name is PAUSILIP DOURADO. We request all our Niz Goenkar brothers and sisters to support our Niz Goenkar Pausilip Dourado and to work for him on behalf of Niz Goenkar right now to ensure his victory in the Assembly elections.

WE HAVE TO START OUR WORK NOW. NOW AT THIS VERY MOMENT TO ENSURE THAT PAUSILIP WINS WITH A HUGE MARGIN.

To know more about who Pausilip Dourado is, we are presenting an interview with him which we had recently in Goa.

Pausilip Dourado, Yours Truly Bebdo and many prominent citizens and members of the business community met at a top city hotel to discuss various issues regarding the preparations for the elections and how to save Goa from being raped and looted by the 40 chors.

Our meeting also deliberated on the dynastic politics that is being promoted in Goa with the sons and daughters of the 40 chors trying to contest the next election as if Goa belongs to their fathers and the other Goans are their maids and servants.

To fine tune our strategy further, we had a meeting at the residence of Pausilip Dourado. The ambience was perfect and at the appointed time, I made it to his residence.

I was greeted with a big smile by his young son who welcomed me with love and affection and made me feel at home in the living room. As they say that the first impression is the last impression, my first impression of Pausilip Dourado is that of a man who is devoted to his family. This was reflected by the way he cares for his parents. His ancestral house stands intact with the whole family staying jointly along with the parents. John F. Kennedy has said that a family that prays together stays together and Pausilip’s devotion to his family brought back those wise words to my mind.

There were many people who had come to meet him, as he is a social worker and helps those who come to him to seek his assistance. He told me that it is a daily routine for the people who come to see him with their needs, to sort out difficulties and seek help as required.

To prove to our Niz Goenkar brothers and sisters that we don’t hide things even from our own members, we are publishing here each and every aspect of WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY AND HOW of PAUSILIP DOURADO in an interview format:

NIZ GOENKAR: Can you tell us about yourself and your part in the social and political arena?

PAUSILIP DOURADO: I was never a politician but a well educated and humble social worker from my childhood. I grew up not in luxury but by working hard from my younger days. Staying up to morals and knowing what is shame or to be ashamed, I was brought up by my parents in a God fearing manner. Life was neither easy nor difficult, it was just a ladder I was struggling to climb safely. I had a dream to earn my bread in a dignified way, to be a businessman and live a good family life. With my hard work, I have achieved it earlier than I thought, in the righteous ways though I faced many hardships from the bureaucracy.

How did you start your career?

Yes, initially, I worked as a mining foreman and then became an ore transporter. Gradually, I had bigger dreams and I am in mining today, first as a contractor and now doing my own. I also own barges and one of them is the State of the Art barge that is used for ore transportation.

How about Goan youth, do you employ them?

Thank you for asking me this question, yes and very much yes. I employ about more than 100 people who are direct employees and 90 per cent of them are boys from my village and surrounding areas. They are well paid and looked after and there is hardly a chance they will leave me and go unless they find better opportunities. The remaining 10 per cent are the ones from other states who avail yearly vacation and are housed at different sites of my business.

When you talk about mining, how much of your business is illegal or against the wishes of the local people?

Seriously, I have no illegal mining and I have no intention of doing something that is illegal. I will never do or enter into a partnership for illegal deeds to make money. My business is 100 per cent legal and I do not have issues with the villagers wherever mines are there. I can understand the hardships of the people of these areas and they are well looked after, locals only employed or contracted and by God’s grace, I never ran into trouble with the locals for the past decade that I have been in this business.

Since I am a social and political worker who is looking after the welfare of the people,, the Environment Minister Aleixo Sequiera tried to harass me in the past by checking activities of my business and slapping false charges. However, he realized that he was wasting his time and left me on my own.

I know that you contested the last election against Aleixo Sequiera and lost, what factors contributed to your defeat?

Another good question. In the last Assembly elections, it was not just Aleixo, there was Remy Fernandes who entered into the fray at the last moment. I lost by a very little margin and if Remy had not to contest, I would have won hands down. It was sure victory for me.

Now let me explain in details. Because of my nature of social service to the people of my village and to those from other surrounding villages and from far off places, I was requested by my supporters, well-wishers and the people to contest the elections and represent them in the Assembly. My performance as the Sarpanch of Nuvem was very much appreciated which endeared them to me and they had high hopes that I would do something for the betterment of my people and for Goa and Goans. At that time, I was the President of the Youth Wing of the Congress Party. I put the proposal to the Congress High Command making a request that the people’s wishes should be fulfilled by giving me the party ticket. However, the seasoned politicians from the Congress camp worked against me and denied me the party ticket. I resigned and decided to contest on my own as an independent candidate. And I did.

But what went wrong against you?

Yes, many factors. I was too innocent and a novice in politics who did not believe in forming groups to perform goondagiri and dadagiri.

My principle in life is to be straight, fight face to face and avoid spoiling the youth and voters with money. I did not use money power. I approached every house on foot and there was huge support gathered much before the nomination forms were filled. I was received with open arms by the people.

Aleixo Sequeira was too nervous especially seeing my birthday reception held infront of the Nuvem Church and which was attended by over 8000 people. My popularity was soaring day by day.

In the meantime, Churchill was passing through troubled times and formed his own party called Save Goa which later Shaved Goa. He offered me the ticket but which I refused since the amount he demanded was beyond my reach.

UGDP offered me the ticket too, again I declined the offer because I consider UGDP ticket to Indian Railway Ticket as it is sold seasonally to the highest bidder. UGDP is one party run by a single family for profit. In the mean time, Remy Fernandes was planted by Aleixo to split votes on Shave Goa ticket. So, it was a triangular fight.

There were no politicians or bigwigs with me for canvassing like the other two candidates, there was no money distributed and I did not have goons with me. Despite that, my victory was assured, there was not an iota of doubt. But I lost by over a thousand votes.

So finally, how were you defeated?

Now listen carefully. The whole tide was in my favour, Churchill and Aleixo were nervous as they had no ground to stand except in some parts of Loutolim. I was checkmated by this combination.

A day before the voting, at around sunset, there were loads and tonnes of firecrackers burnt at every nook and corner of the constituency. People were curious to know the occasion. There were the chamchas of Aleixo Sequiera propagating the message from their crumb master that I had withdrawn in favour of Aleixo Sequiera and had taken a huge sum of money from him. This was a total lie. This false propaganda spread like wild fire in the village and the constituency. This false propaganda proved to be my nemesis. There was no time for us to approach the people to tell them that this was a trick, it was a big lie. On one side, there was the election code of conduct, and on the other side, I did not have gangs and loads of people to send to each and every house to convey the message. There was ban on loud speakers.

My supporters and I did what we could. We lodged police complaints against the miscreants; the police machinery was dancing to the tunes of Aleixo. That was a total setback at the last moment.

As Aleixo is a dirty hearted man, he stooped so low that he proved he could do anything to stay in power. When elections come, he wakes up and starts showing his scalper to the people swearing on it.

So, whom are you expecting to face this time, Aleixo and Mickey?

No, it will be the other way around this time. They will have to face me but they may not. Both have lost their faces. One is a crook and the other is immoral. Aleixo is already having sleepless nights this time because he knows that I am ought to defeat him at any cost. His tricks won’t work this time. He is not wanted anywhere in his own constituency and he has proved to be the destroyer of the villages and youth to fill his own pockets. He wants to create another 20 Point programme in our village. Our youths have chased him away. We do not want another disaster in our village.

Mickey, Oh No! We do not want an immoral pervert to spoil our village. Ultimately, if he is aiming his gun this side, there is no chance as NCP will not provide him with a ticket in Benaulim as well as in Nuvem. Therefore, at the last moment, he may jump on to the UGDP ticket to contest from this side. He will not contest from Benaulim because he knows that there is no support for him there. In any case, he knows that the people of Goa and especially Niz Goenkars won’t vote for him. They will vote for morally upright and not immoral persons and rouges.

What is your plan if you win from your constituency?

First of all, I want to continue doing what I do best. Charity, helping people in every way. Becoming an MLA won’t change me or my life style. I want to contest as a NIZ GOENKAR with the blessing of Menino de Valpoi, the founders and all our members. I want all Niz Goenkars to get together and create an alternative force to root out the corrupt Congress and communal BJP. We want to finish off the ticket stations like UGDP. We want only Niz Goenkars to move forward and weed out corruption.

I want to contest even as an independent but on Niz Goenkar platform.

My priority will be to provide employment to our youth. I want to make sure that the road alignment through Nuvem is stopped and diverted through the hilly areas where there won’t be damage to people’s property and houses. I intend to contest only for one term and may not be able to do much but will leave a landmark created by Pausilip Dourado.

What is your message to Niz Goenkars?

My message is that I proved in the last elections that one does not need money power and muscles to win elections. I lost by a small margin, polling all but 150 votes from my own village. I also attribute my past failures to not having a good PRO and my last moment overconfidence as I was whole-heartedly supported by the people. Aleixo was able to fool the people at the last moment by playing tricks but he won’t succeed every time. I am a Niz Goenkar, the victory is ours, of every Niz Goenkar to save Goa of what is left after being looted by the present rulers.

My motto and that of all Niz Goenkars is “Be sincere to yourself, you will win, you will prosper.”
FOR KONKANI VERSION PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW OR GO TO KONKANI SECTION

http://amchogaum.blogspot.com/2010/11/niz-goenkar-jerul-zoitivont-zatolo.html

SOON MOST OF GOA'S EARTH WILL BE DEPOSITED IN CHINA brought to you by Bebdo

THIS INTERVIEW OF CARMEN MIRANDA WAS TAKEN BY DEVIKA SEQUEIRA AND IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BEBDO

Former director of Panos Institute's Asia Regional Programmes, London-based Carmen Miranda's crusading environmental activism has seen her in the forefront of global campaigns in eco hotspots from

Bangladesh to Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, among others.

More recently, as member of the steering committee of the Save Western Ghats campaign, the Goan-Spanish Carmen has helped energise the renewed campaign to protect the biodiversity hotspot. Excerpts from an interview with Devika Sequeira of Deccan Herald:

Q: Your group lobbied strongly with Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to set up the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel. What do you think can be achieved by the panel hearings?

The challenge for the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) to come up with a list of eco-sensitive no go areas holds special significance and it is for the panel to factor in possible political interventions for being firm on its decision.

Unless it is as firm as the Saxena committee has been in the Niyamgiri case in Orissa that led to the cancellation of mining by Vedanta, the MoEF will not be in a position to follow suit. We are working closely with WGEEP to ensure that it holds the cause of 'environment' supreme in its decision.  After all, the Western Ghats are a globally important biodiversity hotspot with a significant list of endemic flora and fauna species. New species are still being found, and a study of its rich biodiversity is far from being completed.

Given the economic policy of 'growth at all costs' and pressures from a growing population, an important eco-sensitive region like the Western Ghats needs urgent legal measures for its protection.  In Karnataka, power projects and tourism development are seen as a major threat to the ecology of the region.

Since the revival of the Save Western Ghats campaign, the core group has been working with a clear strategy and action plan which also involves the sensitisation of politicians and governments. It is difficult to convince industrialists and politicians that the need to protect the environment is not anti-development but crucial to sustaining development.

Q: So what has been your strategy?

One of the first things we did as a core group was to launch the first ever Citizen's Green Manifesto for the Western Ghats to lobby MPs during the election campaign. As a result of our lobbying the WGEEP was set up.  The National Climate Change Commission and the Western Ghats Ecology Authority are next in the pipeline. We also managed to convince the ministry to impose a moratorium on new mining leases in Goa.

So we haven't done too badly so far, but this is probably because Jairam Ramesh was willing to listen to our concerns and suggestions and acted on what he deemed to be perfectly reasonable, useful and legitimate citizens' demands.  The environment devastation caused by mining in Goa and the unbridled acceleration of ore extraction propelled by the China demand in the last five years cannot escape anyone.

If we are not careful, in the near future, people will have to go to China to visit Goa, as most of our land will be deposited there, leaving just a hole in the ground in Goa.  What angers me is the attitude of the Goa government and mining lobby, who think that they have a God-given right to destroy everyone else's way of life and resources in Goa for

the benefit of China and a handful of extremely rich mining barons.

It is a scandal that the minister for mines in Goa for the past 11 years belongs to a family of miners. If that is not conflict of interest, I don't know what is. No wonder mining is out of control in Goa, and the damage in many areas is now irreversible. Goa today resembles the Wild West during the gold rush.

The only difference is that the cowboys here are running gigantic trucks in narrow rural roads and their bosses zoom around in expensive cars -- the price of each would build schools and health centres and improve the standard of living of hundreds of families in Goa. Mining in Goa has to be controlled, downsized, regulated with an annual ore extraction cap immediately imposed, and phased out as soon as possible.

Q: You've said unless people sit across a table to talk, nothing can be achieved. How do you expect such disparate groups as iron ore exporters and environment activists to find a meeting ground?

There was no constructive communication among the mining stakeholders and civil society until the first ever such meeting on 18th May in Goa earlier this year. The meeting was  hosted by the MoEF and resulted in some follow-up action which is still inadequate in my opinion.

I am trying to ensure that a second such meeting will take place before the end of the year to take things forward, especially in terms of tougher action regarding compliance by the legal mines and eradication of illegal ones.

Source: Deccan Herald

INTERVIEW WITH MANOHAR PARRIKAR by P. Cruz, Vasco Da Gama

NIZ GOENKAR INTERVIEWED MANOHAR PARRIKAR THE OPPOSITION LEADER
INTERVIEWED BY OUR WRITER - P. CRUZ
Interview with Mr. Manohar Parrikar (BJP) Opposition Leader
Date : 20th September, 2010 Venue : Goa Assembly-Porvorim

This interview was taken in Goa Assembly at 15:30 hrs. I have to admire his punctuality as he arrived at the location on time.

Niz Goenkar: Mr. Parrikar why you have chosen to join BJP and not any other Party?

M. Parrikar: I feel BJP is better and clean Party to work for and dedicated to the people.

Niz Goenkar: All Goans are worried about mass corruption which is in process by the present Government, can we stop them?

M. Parrikar: Obviously we can stop it by getting good candidates elected and showing the door for the corrupt ones. The people have to do this during the election.

Niz Goenkar: Atala is missing; do you think it is lapse on the part of the government and its machinery?

M. Parrikar: It is not a lapse on Government side, it is planned and they are responsible for that as lot of people are involved in it.

Niz Goenkar: Do you have any idea about the e-magazine website NIZ GOENKAR and its motivation to fight against corruption and the corrupt ministers/MLA’s?

M. Parrikar: Yes I heard about it but never visited that site…. Good as they fight against corruption, Name some corrupt MLA’s?

Niz Goenkar: Ravi Naik, Mickky, Digambar, Churchill, Joaquim, Mavin, Babush

M. Parrikar: Good! Are those only what about the rest? What about Calangute MLA Agnelo? What about Viswajeet?

Niz Goenkar: Yes they are also in the list, but above are the main target to get them out of the seat.

M. Parrikar: Well fine….that’s good

Niz Goenkar: What are your chances of your party in the next assembly elections?

M. Parrikar: Very Good and BJP will win the majority, now we have backing of the minority Christians and it is increasing.

Niz Goenkar: Do you feel the minority Christians will join your party to vote out Congress-NCP alliance as per BJP’s program?

M. Parrikar: We have 5 to 6 percent of Christians who has joined us and will be voting and we will try to have more of them.

Niz Goenkar: During the assembly session BJP did not raise the issue about the Margao blast and the Sanathan Sanstha, could you tell us why BJP was silent on the issue?

M. Parrikar: Before the assembly session they were already charge sheeted and the case is registered, there is code of conduct in the session and if they are charge sheeted we cannot raise the issue during the session, there is NSA for 60 days. We were the first to denounce the violence and it has nothing with the BJP as the case is ongoing and registered.

Niz Goenkar: So, you are against what they have done?

M. Parrikar: Definitely I am against them of what they have done and I will never support violence.

Niz Goenkar: What do you have to say about the politicians involved with Sanathan Sanstha? Please shed some light on it.

M. Parrikar: The members from the ruling side are involved in it Ravi Naik. Dhalvikar and his wife etc… they are the head of that organization and the inquiry is going on. I can’t say that if the members of the organization are involved means all are involved; the organization is not the party to blast. I will never tolerate any violence, also no discrimination of caste, creed, sex and religion.

Niz Goenkar: Mining is on Rampage and also illegal mining is more, I have visited some places the conditions of the houses are worse due to dust even it’s not fit for animals to stay over there. Why this is not stopped and the people living in those areas are given better life? Why the mining do not co-exist with the people and the environment?

M. Parrikar: Yes I agree with you, this should have been done by the Chief Minister. The people living in that area take money from the mining lobbies like 50 thousand and even it goes to 2 lakhs. A cap on the mining should be applied; we can’t stop all the mines as the economy of Goa depends on that and also employment. The ore is of low grade and is exported to China, we can’t do anything about this ore its better to export to China.

Niz Goenkar: Lot of Christian community wish to join BJP, but they are afraid because BJP has links with RSS, VHP. Is this True? And your comments please…

M. Parrikar: I was a member of RSS Goa I am informing you. But these things happened in other parts of the country not in Goa, do you know if anything happened by these groups in Goa? I will not tolerate this… If someone from this group does something I will punish them. Take an example in Gujrat what has happened it is bad, but what about others parts of the country like in Delhi so many Sikhs were killed when former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi was killed, it was a mass Violence. In 1984 about 3000 members of a minority community were slaughtered over three days, the leaders from the Ruling congress were involved in it, what about them why only discriminate BJP. Punish the guilty if it is BJP or Congress the law is for all (He removed one book and gave it to me and asked to read it the title of the book “When A Tree Shook Delhi” by Manoj Mitta & H S Phoolka. Thank you for the book Mr. Parrikar). During the partition of India there was no BJP then 50 lakhs people were killed, so who is responsible BJP or Congress? Look at what’s happening in Serbia, Iraq, and Pakistan? I condemn what happened in Gujrat but in Goa I will not allow this to happen and minority Christian do not fear. Infact I have give more jobs to the minority then the present government.

Niz Goenkar: Our Niz Goenkar blog owner Menino de Valpoi was threatened by some politicians not to publish articles on the ruling party about corruption as we fight for truth. Will your lend us your help and support if we require to fight against corruption?

M. Parrikar: Of course anytime I will help Niz Goenkar. When I started my career I and my wife were threatened but we never cared and went ahead.

Niz Goenkar: What do you think about the mega projects coming to Goa, like Raheja, Vanxim, etc?

M. Parrikar: They all should be stopped and small project should done, the cost is beyond the reach of the Goan people.

NIZ GOENKAR would like to thank Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the opposition leader for sparing his precious moments with us and giving us this interview.