Nitin Gadkari be warned! Your destructive plans for Goa stands exposed!

Goa Against Coal (GAC) denounces Shri Nitin Gadkari’s recent statements revealing his role in blindly serving the private interests of Adani and Jindal at incalculable cost to Goa and Goans. We reiterate our demand that ongoing coal handling in Goa be stopped, all expansion and infrastructure projects for coal be dropped, and that our rivers, seas and water bodies remain as commons to sustain Goan populations in general, and the fishing communities in particular. 

Documents perused reveal that there are plans to increase coal handled in Goa from present 12 million tonnes to 51 million tonnes at MPT itself. Khariwada and Baina fisherfolk are already fighting to survive displacement forced by misuse of CRZ laws and Government powers. The double tracking of the Vasco-Londa rail tracks and the widening/ construction of NH 17 A and B, NH 4 A and B and NH 17 are also being carried out for coal handling. After dredging of our rivers, coal brought by ships will be stacked in our fields and transported by road through our villages and wards. Dredging will destroy the lives of our rivers, turning them into lifeless navigation channels and displacing entire communities dependent on the river commons for subsistence and environmental security. This destruction of our socio-economy, especially fisheries, tourism and health, is only for profits for Adani and Jindal from ‘reduced freight charges’ (ample capacity exists on the east coast)!

The people of Goa are aware that the State and Central Governments have concealed this destructive master plan from the people. We know that works for coal infrastructure are being carried out as numerous small unrelated projects, thus concealing even the existence of the coal expansion plan. We have exposed Gadkari’s involvement and asked for CBI inquiry during the Public Hearing for dredging of Vasco Bay. Sensing strong opposition to his destructive mission in Goa and fearing inquiry in the future into his involvement, Gadkari has resorted to threatening to "bulldoze" the projects, calling us “microscopic minority", and making other veiled threats and accusations. 

Shri Nitin Gadkari, MPT, Adani and Jindal cannot be forgiven for causing grave environmental destruction by illegally dredging Vasco Bay and causing huge damage to the geological stability, ecology, marine life and fisheries of surrounding area. PWD (NH) and South Western Railways are also mindlessly bulldozing rail and road infrastructure for coal transportation through our villages. With his statement on tourism moving to Maharashtra, Shri Gadkari has exposed the larger plan to make Goa a coal hub for the benefit of Maharashtra tourism. Unfortunately, Goa’s own government is also a part of this plan to destroy Goa. 

The people of Goa are undeterred by threats to misuse powers bestowed by us. We overwhelmingly and rightly reject coal, just like we rejected SEZs. Instead, we want development of fisheries, agriculture and sustainable tourism. We therefore demand that both our Governments drop all plans for coal expansion and stop all coal operations, failing which we will take all measures necessary to defend the environment, economy and society of Goa from the blind greed of a few. 

Custodio D’Souza

Convenor

 

Tel: 9637891412

 

Is IOP Confusion as vast and deep as Indian Ocean ?

On 12^th June 2017 from 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm we had a visit from three People Asha Naik, Datraraj Kerker and Goa State Youth Vice President of Indian Oceanic Party Rama Shetkar. They had come to tell us to join their newly formed Political Party. After asking them about the Party ideology they gave us one page in Hindi containing global message of its National President C.P. Vyas. They did not give us the Constitution of the Party nor Manifesto of the Party. The speech though emotive ideologically is inclined towards Brahmanism. We present some points in this direction from the Vyas Global message from the perspective of mulnivasis.

No mention of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar

There is no mention of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar as one of the inspiring figure to the Party. There is a suspicion that this Party is tilted towards Brahmanism. This is significant considering that Ambedkar along with his predecessors Shahu Maharaj, Jyotirao Phooley and Savitribai Phooley fought for freedom from Brahmins with support from British. While Nehru-Gandhi-Gokhale after fought British to attain freedom for Brahmins after they failed to get share in rule.

Valmiki, the divine light of the Party?

Party thinks of non discrimination on Jatis and Religions. Jatis are different from Varnas which are four: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vyasha and Shudra. Jatis are several splits orchestrated by Brahmins amongst Shudra to keep them perennially divided. They feel insecure and hence they keep them divided. Shudras is Sanskrit word for ‘Slaves’. Persian word for slave is ‘Hindu’. The word Hindusthan means land of slaves. 

At the same time text of this speech mentions that Vyas is moving ahead in divine light of Maharshi Valmiki. Valmiki was a State Poet in the Kingdom of Pushya Mitra Sung established after Brahmins destroyed revolution by murder of King Brudatt and established Ayodhya as headquarters of his counter-revolutionary kingdom. Valmiki wrote literary works ‘Ramayana’ in which he defended Varna system. Rama is written as dripping molten lead in the ears of studious non-brahmin native Shambook at the instigation of Brahmins; for Shambook was studying and Brahmins kingdom as per manusmriti denies education to Shudras. Rama is thus presented in Ramayana as defender of Bamon Raj. Now when C.P. Vyas is moving in this ‘divine’ light that defends Bamon Raj should natives of India join hands with it?

Location of roots of Violence and Injustice

Ramayana has seeds and examples of Violence as well as injustice from Brahmins to Shudras. Yet Vyas message ends with call to youth to be part of youth rights revolution and do away with Violence and Injustice from their roots. Now, when an epic of Violence and Injustice - Ramayana is a moving light for Vyas his call to Youth is meaningless directed to misguide and destroy.

Is Gandhi messenger of non-Violence?

For Vyas one of the inspirations is Gandhi and he wants to convince us that we are belonging to his vanvs. Vyas describes Gandhi as a messenger of Love, non-violence and brotherhood. This is surprising though popular notion peddled though Vyas speech. Vyas overlooks the fact that it was Gandhi who gave order for Violence in 1942: Do or Die! And amount of Violence triggered against British officials at all levels was remarkable. This violence created such huge damage that British in just a half decade from carried on Transfer of Power to Brahmins, and packed off from India.

When Gandhi betrayed Bhagat Singh

Along with Gandhi another inspiration listed with picture is of Bhagat Singh for the nationalistic reasons. We wonder how Gandhi and Bhagat Singh can be joint inspirations for Vyas. Gandhi never defended Bhagat Singh in his acts and in fact opposed him to such an extend that Gandhi stayed silent as Bhagat Singh was hanged Lahore Jail in today’s Pakistan. Bhagat Singh wrote a famous book “Why I am an Atheist” and was led to commit violent bombing of the Assembly in British India even though there were no casualties.

Concealed Masonic identity of Swami Vivekanand

Swami Vivekanand, Freemason is another inspiration for Vyas as he belied that he was world teacher. There is very little discussion or information shared in the speech on Vivekanand’s degree in Freemasonry. We wonder why.

Aryabhatta, a product of Revolution of Gautam Buddha

Aryabatta is another listed as inspiring world teacher. Aryabatta was a product of vibrant University system in Ancient India that came up after Brahmanism and rule of Manusmriti was overthrown by massive movements led by Gautama Mahavira and Gautama Buddhas. Science was research was major gift of Buddha’s revolution in India that led to a period when Maurya Empire ruled. Several Universities pioneering scientific temper rose up : Taxasheela, Vikramsheela and Nalanda are three renowned examples. Aryabatta who discovered zero was a product of this system of education. It was during this time India was known as Golden Bird. This system perished after the Brahmins re-established their rule in the form of Pushamitra Sungh. Bikkus were massacred all over India. University system that attracted scholars from all over the world was set on fire and was left burning for several months. If Aryabatta had to rise up again in India then the rule of Shudras has to be established again. For this Vyas has closed mind at least visible from his printed message in Hindi. Jyotibha Phule, Periyar, Shahu Maharaja, Ambedkar are not amongst those inspiring Vyas. Entire orientation of Vyas is a variant of Brahmanism. We wonder: why?

Vinobha Bhave - a response to dilute radical land reform movement

Vinobha Bhave is another figure mentioned as inspiring Vyas to view society together. This must be reflected upon as Bhave led Bhoodan movement in India as a response to radical movement advocating land reforms in India. He allegedly convinced Zamindars to give away mostly unproductive, uncultivable lands that they had captured over the years to the poor politically conscious masses. Bhave protected interest of Brahmins from en mass confiscation of their land by poor shudra peasants.

Cost of India as Economic Power

Vyas foresees India as economic power in near future. What’s the cost of this to masses of the country specially the Adivasis, SC and OBCs people? Vyas is silent on the topic. What is the cost of this growth of India as economic power on ecology? Vyas does not say anything.

Do nation dream or groups dream?

Vyas speaks of Dream of the Nation. One must ask him to list out what he considers as ‘dreams of the nation’. What is the dream of nation in current age of Anthropocene for the planet earth? Earth dreams of shut down of all the industries of the world. Who dreams on behalf of the nation?

Call to the nationalist

Vyas gives out a call to those nationalists with wish and capacity to free society of corruption, terrorism, starvation, hopelessness, unemployment, rapes, murders, intrusion, draught and floods. All these are products of rule of Congress and BJP, the two parties with their alliances under control of Brahmins in India. Brahmins now realized that both these Parties are discredited and they would not be able to manipulate EVMs non-stop to perpetuate their rule though these two Parties and allied parties. Hence new Parties are being floated. AAP is one of them and this Indian Oceanic Party has sufficient indicators in the global message of C.P.Vyas, it follow the same path. He is trying to cultivate Indian Nationalism by carefully protecting those responsible for sabotage of Indian nation over the centuries. Or else just refer to Manusmriti, a book of Brahmanical supremacy that Rama in Ramayana defends.

Vyas for nation of Brahmin Supremacy?

When Vyas himself adores Ramayana that protects and defends Brahmanical supremacy how do Vyas expect everyone to come together on one platform without Vyas renouncing divine path of Maharshi Valmiki?

Is Goa a nation?

One Goa centric point that must be made here as Vyas has come out with global message to Indians. Global Status of Goa as per United Nations Organizations is that Goa is a Colony of India. It was due to Veto power exercised by USSR on the night of December 18, 1961 that defeated UN condemnation of Invasion of Goa by India via its resolution 988. So officially Goa is part of India due to Veto power of USSR. Vyas has not made any comments on this in his message in Hindi circulated in Goa. Should India be allowed to forget this? Should Goa forget this? Should anyone forget this? No!

Conclusion

Indian Oceanic Party is confused in their orientation. Their broad orientation is towards strengthening o Bamon Raj. BMM disagrees with Party position in completion. Its yellow pamphlet in Hindi raises more questions that needs answers even though slogans are catchy and pitches for Truth: "Sacchayee ki tasveer bano" (Be a picture of truth) and "Majboor nahi majbooth bano" (Be strong rather than miserable). This criticism is written to seek truth for Truth sets us free. Truth is revealed through questions. Perhaps there is too much confusion as vast and deep as Indian Ocean. Lets await for a written response from Indian Ocean Party on its theory presented on yellow paper we have shared here as we received it. We are sure Bhagat Singh whose picture is printed on top of the pamphlet would have raised these questions and even perhaps more. Bhagat Singh was fierce critic of religion and even wrote a book "Why I am an Atheist?" Surely Bhagat Singh would instantly object to Maharshi Valmiki providing divine light to the IOP President. To print Bhagat Singh's picture on this pamphlet amounts to hijacking of Bhagat Singh's thought. Only those who do not suffer from lack of goodwill and lack of intellectual bankruptcy will talk this truth out which Vyas and leaders of IOP in India and Goa may like. Yet for the reason of upholding of truth we speak out forthrightly. This is contribution from BMM to Goa and India as well. 

Status of Nestle labour exploitation issue

We gets an impression after reading these above and below letters that labour is taken for ride by both the multinational company Nestle (based in Maulingem in Bicholim Taluka) as well as Government of Goa. Match fixing is clearly visible. We had earlier shared notes and stored in folder on this matter and it can be accessed by clicking here .

Arrested Sabaji Shetye's Vanxim connections must be probed

On June 06, 2017 evening media broke the news that Additional Collector Sabaji Shetye arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau. He allegedly demanded the bribe of Rs. 1.50 lakh but was paid Rs.25,000/- to process N.O.C for explosive license. News spread like a wild fire across Goa and beyond particularly because he was known to operate suspicious manner but was never caught by authorities. 

We know him from the time he was a deputy Collector in Panjim. It was his court that Vanxim tenancy cases were heard for the Condonation of delay to re-start the proceedings in 1995 cases. Sabaji Shetye played this role in highly suspicious manner. Sabaji one by one went on passing orders granting condonation of delay to benefit Mahendra Gaunekar and Ozone corporate after the office of the Archbishop betrayed People of Vanxim by selling island bunds and Paddy fields to Mahendra Gaunekar in highly secretive manner.

We know the conduct of Sabaji Shetye in Ligorio Silveira v/s Mahendra Gaunekar case No: TNC/DYCL/APPL/74/2009. He granted condonation of delay even though he had no powers to do so. In fact it was then Lawyer of Mahendra Gaunekar who is now a High Court Judge  pointed out in Administrative Tribunal President that the office of the Deputy Collector has no powers to grant condonation of delay.

In this manner Sabaji Shetye has betrayed public. Now we know that he has a habit of accepting bribe. It is plausible to conclude from his conduct in Ligorio Silveira case, and other Vanxim cases that Sabaji Shetye has accepted the favors in kind or cash to pass order granting condonation of delay favoring Mahendra Gaunekar. This he did even without powers to do so. Powers lies with Administrative Tribunal.

Now that Sabaji Shetye’s character is publicly exposed it is a must that all his decisions be reviewed; for he played a role of tiny conduit strip down Vanxim tenants of the legal titles by subjecting them to prolonged litigations. It is based on Sabaji Shetye’s mischief that Vanxim people are deprived of land titles of their land. The question is; how much money Sabaji has taken from Mahendra Gaunekar or his agents in order to grant condonation of delay?

It is because of this situation that Vanxim has been punished through inclusion under Investment Promotion Board. Board members led by Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of Goa are under what Giorgos Kallis calls the spell of “Growth Curse”.  Its pretty evident that he is under the spell of Growth curse considering that he doesn’t care for butchering of several hundreds of trees to expand highways connecting Agassaim to Verna for a new Zuari bridge. Cortalim highway stretch has witnessed mass cutting down of trees too. Earlier nearly 100 trees were cut down to widen the road from Bambolim to Dona Paula via Goa University. Now, additionally 900 trees are declared will be cut down to widen highway connecting Cortalim to Vasco by Public Works Department (PWD) headed by Minister Sudhin Dhavlekar.  When there are already tow functioning bridges over Mandovi there was no need to construct the third one by wasting public financial resources.

Goa Government is sending its annual jaunts to Cannes in France to learn as to how to go about organizing International Film Festival of India (IFFI). How come it never came in the mind of Goa Government think tanks learn lessons from Grenoble city in France that has replaced Bill boards with trees? Why the nasty Billboard are occupying spaces in Goa next to public road while trees are being cut down? Why these Billboards are not razed to the ground, uprooted and trees planted?

IFFI has only extended underworld mafia from Bombay to Goa and today controls number of Politicians in insidious manner. This is the reason as to why Gambling legalized in Goa by BJP supported Francisco Sardinha government in 1990s still continues to wreck havoc with social, economic, cultural and ecological fabric of Goa. 

Anyway, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is not alone to be spell bound by Growth Curse. The rest of members too are equally likely to be under the curse. They are Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar, Industries Minister Rohan Khunte, and Representatives from Industry on IPB Atrey Sawant, Ernest Dias, Yatin Kakodkar, Girish Bharne, Rajkumar Kamat and Kaman Shekar Sardessai. The IAS officers who are on the board are Secretary (Industry) and Secretary (Tourism) whose unofficial role is to collect money bags for Central Government on the same lines that Manohar Parrikar said sometime ago that MoEF officials are collecting brief cases to grant EC clearances to mining companies in Goa. Same logic applies to IPB. 

According to highly placed source at IPB, the political role of handing over large tracks of Goa’s land for corporate houses is to make sure that Goa is ruled by non-Goans in next five years and students passing out from Engineering Colleges in are gainfully employed in Goa.  In fact it looks that the essential qualification needed to be on IPB is to be under Growth Curse spell. Sabaji Shetye played his role to please his masters – political and economic. Now it is surprising that he is caught red handed in bribery case; perhaps he was becoming too greedy and keeping all the booty from corruption to himself without demanded share by higher ups. 

Now with Sabaji Shetye’s arrest all the orders he passed have now come under nail of suspicion. His orders condoning delays in Vanxim tenancy cases involving Mahendra Gaunekar must be revoked and land titles reverted back to the People of Vanxim. This is a rare occasion for the State and the Archbishop of Goa to apply their minds and embark on correction path as corruption and bribery of Sabaji Shetye is caught red handed.

Handing over Vanxim Island for the pleasure of the rich by putting Five star hotel and luxury villas in Paddy fields and green areas is certain tragedy of the commons. According to Giorgos Kallis in his book in defence of degrowth: Opinions and Minifestos (Open Commons: March 2017) writes “ Nobel laureate in Economics Elinor Ostrom showed that the commons do not inevitably end up in tragedy and they do not have to be privatized or managed by the State. The communities she studied, more often than not, found ways to pool efforts together, devise their own institutions, and govern their shared resources sustainably.”

Archbishop of Goa talks often of nurturing of small christian communities but cares a damn that his office has sold off Vanxim community cultivation land and fishing spaces to a neighborhood Casino Gambler at Altinho, Panjim where Archbishop resides to gamble his way through at the cost of Public Interest. In sale deed as well as in Agreement to sale it is carefully concealed that buyer of Vanxim is Archbishop's neighbour in Altinho, Panjim.

Disgusting state of affairs as this is not the first time Goa Archbishop’s office has done things this way. Why till date lead of secrecy is not lifted on the documents related to Vanxim sale? Why the office of Archbishop has created situation to put itself in public embarrassment? Why the office of the Goa Archbishop kept letters it sent to Vatican asking permissions from Pope John Paul II with all attached documents kept in concealed state? Why letter from the office of Pope John Paul II authorizing sale of Vanxim kept secret? Pope John Paul II is now a saint and it is strange that this correspondence has been kept secret?

The way nexus of the office of the Goa Archbishop is involved with corporate and negotiated the State agencies is a way to consolidate its path to Capitalism. Giorgos Kallis has put the context very succinctly “The frightening reality is that capitalism is a mad joke peddled by money-addicts with no clue of why they are doing what they are doing, other than that they are doing it and that they have to keep doing it.” Vanxim fits the bill.

Sabaji Shetye is not alone Government officer under scanner on Vanxim scam. Sanjeev Desai too is involved. You may click here for more on him. No Goa government officer involved in Vanxim scam must go unpunished.