Responsibility to speak out boldly to expose Vanxim scam

Status of Vanxim land grab

Official Gazette, Government of Goa, Series II No. 40 dated 5^th January 2017 published notification from Department of Industries bearing no. 3/10/2016-IND regarding demarcation of Capao (Vanxim) Island’s 46 survey numbers under the Goa Investment Promotion Act, 2014. Notification mentions that corporate entity M/s Ozone Leisure and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. had applied for setting up of an integrated 5 star Resort and Villa Estate Development in Capao on September 03, 2015, two months and two days before Fr. Bismarck was killed and disposed off in Mandovi River on November 05, 2015. Vanxim too stands in Mandovi River. Goa Investment Promotion Board had granted in principle approval for this project on December 14, 2015, forty days after Fr. Bismarck’s gruesome murder and suppression of evidence.  On December 16, 2 016 - after 13 months and 10 days of Fr. Bismarck murder and its cover ups - Goa Cabinet cleared the project on behalf of Goa Government. And now on  January 05, 2017 after exactly 14 months of Fr. Bismarck’s killing official notification is published on Vanxim (Capao) Island. Certain reflection is warranted as this is not only a legal fraud but an ultimate moral fraud as well as it was born in the Office of the Goa Archbishop in 1999 with Agreement to Sale Vanxim to Mahendra Gaunkar or to any corporate.

Silence of the office of the Archbishop

After admitting that Vanxim sale was morally wrong publicly Goa Archbishop has maintained silence on the issue of criticizing the Goa Cabinet decision on Vanxim. Admission on the part of Archbishop that Vanxim sale is immoral makes entire Vanxim venture immoral including Cabinet decision. Although there are environmental grounds on which this contest is proceeding in the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court – to which we do not object – the happenings in the office of the Archbishop are totally suicidal as the lobby of priests has been intensely involved in all round manipulation and liquidation of Church lands all over Goa. Future generations are robbed off precious lands granted for community use in past. The office of the Archbishop that is meant uphold the morals have dedicated to doing away with them. Frankly speaking this Vanxim scam is begins with Archbishop Raul Gonsalves in the decade of 1990s. Agreement to sale of Vanxim was signed in 1999, now 18 years has passed by. That means the scam is visibly in existence for at least two decades. Immorality of the office of Goa Archbishop has engulfed Goa Cabinet in most certain way. There is need, an urgent need to address the rot going on in the office of the Goa Archbishop for so long. Vanxim sale besides being an ecological scam is also a moral scam. Jesus Christ -whose body the Church is- has been taken over by Satanists and being robbed off its splendor and Glory. Priests may have made some money for sure but time has come for Fr. Arlino D’Mello, Parish Priest of Aldona to publicly apologize to selling Vanxim and come out openly on what is going on. Same is required to be done by Fr. Victor Rodrigues, Parish Priest of Nuvem who signed agreement of Sale with Mahendra Gaunekar.

Emeritus Archbishop Raul Gonsalves too has duty to speak up publicly and shed his cover of silence as he had authorized Fr.Victor Rodrigues to sell Vanxim. Similarly Goa Archbishop Filip Neri Ferrao too needs to come out boldly condemning the Goa cabinet decision to include Vanxim under IPB Act. Public condemnations of Cabinet decsion from the Church authorities at various levels are what are needed. If Church authorities persist in their way of silence then their divine punishment is inevitable. The behavior of Church authorities has caused tremendous confusion and demoralization amongst mass of people.

Taking responsibility for irresponsibility

The affairs in the office of the Archbishop have sunk all time low. Over the past few decades degeneration has cropped in and damage that is caused to the diocese and to the social fabric of Goa through manufacture of scams has generated tensions of faith and livelihood. The irresponsibility is not only visible in Vanxim deal but over several more instances in different parts of Goa. The tentacles of corruption have taken cancerous proportions and money and greed decides the affairs at the office of the Goa Archbishop and can be confirmed from the Vanxim deal in secrecy. Over several years these things has remained without rectification and even have worsened. Now however things have reached towards the limits of tolerance and blood of Fr.Bismarck Dias cries out for Justice. Before things go out of hand any further there is an urgent need to reverse criterion of decision making of leadership at the office of the Archbishop.

It is a good admission to begin with from the Archbishop Ferrao that Vanxim sale is immoral. However it is not enough to say this is immoral. Every priest and every catholic and every citizen in Goa must be made aware as to how Archbishop’s decision to sell Vanxim Island is immoral. Secondly one cannot stay in a state of immorality once you admit it. Archbishop has to take responsibility and change the trends. He has to call all the priests in Goa and direct them to condemn Goa Cabinet decision on Vanxim to convert it for the luxury tourism and super luxury housing with personal example. Archbishop has to question himself and put himself in introspective mode and reflect as to what Jesus Christ commands him to do to rectify the situation of immorality that he has led Archdiocese of Goa into. Perhaps its God’s will for a radical action to pull out Goa diocese from the immoral state and Vanxim is only one proven and admitted case, perhaps the key to access to hidden secrets to gory affairs behind the scene.

Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) is surprisingly silent at the moment. They have given up the fight in order to avoid uncomfortable questions on Vanxim. As a Church wing to uphold Justice it is supreme irresponsibility to let the Goa Cabinet decision to unchallenged publicly by Church authorities. Silence on part of CSJP also gives wrong signal that it will let the affairs at office of the Archbishop without scrutiny. This is not the spirit of Justice by any standard. There is an old saying that goes “Charity begins at home!”  and so the battle for justice begins at home. For CSJP the home is the office of the Goa Archbishop. In fact even though Vanxim scam came to public knowledge in August 2010 for the past seven long years there is not even single statement of condemnation from the CSJP on Vanxim. One fails to understand as to what prevents CSJP from taking aggressive stance on Vanxim even though Archbishop Neri himself admitted that Vanxim deal is immoral. What prevents CSJP leadership from moving on and wracking up the corrupt trend founded on Vanxim affairs? Is it because so many priests are involved? If Priests and Archbishops march to Hell does it mean that that leadership of CSJP too has to follow the suit to their doom? The silence of CSJP makes the mockery of the notion of Justice.

Time for bold witness

It is time for courage witness to uphold Justice by all. Fr. Bismarck Dias is already there as luminous star before us. He used his speech to uphold Justice. He deployed his music and Guitar to rebuke unjust system. He physically and symbolically stood courageously before oppressive regime. He has left behind the legacy so potent and powerful. Any sensible heart on fire with Justice will pick up his flames and march on. Bharat Mukti Morcha will continue to speak up without compromise.