Sarthak Ahuja and his obsession with tagging Goa's tourist taxi operators as mafia

 https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1ZeiYMaC3j/

Bharat Mukti Morcha strongly condemns Sarthak Ahuja for using defamatory language against taxi operators in Goa. He has posted objectionable video on Facebook on the above links referring Goa's Taxi Unions as mafia. He has repeated the same three times in the same video reflecting acute sense of frustration with Goans.

Mafia is an Acronym of set of activities put together when operated without sanction and approval of law. Taxis in Goa are not operating in with full sanction of law.

Oxford dictionary defines the word mafia as "a secret international organization of criminals active especially in Italy and the US". It also has another meaning as "a closely knit group of trusted associates who use ruthless and criminal methods to get advantages for themselves". This definition also does not apply to Goa's taxi operators. And those who want to know the actual Italian origin of mafia and its full form may consult this video:

https://youtu.be/jYZksdzVxic

So what's really is the obsession that drives so many online Facebook, instagram characters to refer Goa's taxis operators as "mafia"? Why this deliberate tag is sought to be imprinted as the image of Goa's taxi operators? No one from Goa has refered and tagged any of the aggregators in India as Cartels. So why this obsessions amongst Ahujas of India in the name of providing right facilities to tourists in Goa?

Can people of Goa allow themselves to be taken hostage by tourism? Tourism was built upon natural and social character of Goa. Real estate had no role in it. Real estate is in fact a intruder into tourism in Goa that needs to be countered.

Goa has seen international tourism right from 1960s and that tourism never took local people hostages as is being sought to be done today.

If Sarthak Ahuja has problem with the way tourism is generating jobs for local people in Goa through taxis he has to came to terms with it rather than propagating supplanting solutions of supporting Guidelines.

It is indeed very strange that this Sarthak Ahuja has appealed to people from all over India write to Goa's Transport Director in addition to those involved in real estate business.

Basically Sarthak advocates dismantling of tourism industry and re-forming it in such a way that people of Goa will be taken hostage of the industry. Economically local people will be shattered and taxi operators are just one section of it. The ripple effect in case of this disaster of guidelines being approved will fall on entire Goan society. Social consequences will be severe too.

The repeated use of the word "mafia" on taxi oprerators is inherently violent in the nature of the narrative. It is actually brainwashing people to be prepared for the actual physical violence to accept, justify and even celebrate in due course of time.

Desmond Morris has explained this phenomena beautifully in his book "Human zoo". He observes that dog is tagged mad repeatedly. After sufficient brainwashing through mind control exercises one day dog is shot dead even though actually dog was never mad. People then celebrate that mad dog is dead!

Narrative has a power and people like Sathak Ahuja use them effectively against people of Goa.

At his Facebook video posting option to post comments is closed. One cannot have any response there. His point of view is drilled down without any change of dialogue.

Video narrative ends with nationalistic narrative of "Jai Hind". No nationalistic slogans should be allowed perpetuate violence on any section of Goa including taxi operators. We counter this narrative with Jai Mulnivasi!

Bharat Mukti Morcha stands in support and Solidarity with people running their taxis business in Goa and their Associations and Unions.

Bharat Mukti Morcha calls upon Goa Government to withraw its decision to enforce Guidelines and protect livelihoods of taxi operators in Goa.

Jai Mulnivasi!

Goa Power Minister not bothered: Electricity workers in Malar, Diwar, Vanxim forced on foot

Electricity department employees attached to Corlim office are deprived of the vehicle to move about to attend to the calls from public in jurisdiction that includes Islands villages of Diwar, Malar and Vanxim. Tragedy has placed these employees in precarious conditions as the have to move on foot from December 02, 2017. 

The vehicle that department office had has been done away with without replacement. Workers in blue uniforms are seen moving on island in hot sun with ladders and other equipments on their shoulders walking. This causes delays to public and exhaustion to workers. This is twenty first century Goa!

Power Minister of Goa Pandurang Madkaikar, who is also local MLA from these place must cease to use any vehicles to move from his home in Old Goa to anywhere in Cars and other vehicles till the replacement four wheeler vehicle is given to the above mentioned Electricity Department employees. Mr. Madkaikar must go walking to his office at Goa Legislative Assembly every day. Only then he will realize the plight of the worker of his department stranded without a vehicle to move on foot.

Bharat Mukti Morcha calls for immediate replacement vehicle to these workers to help ease their journeys to attend calls from public.

Good Food, Good life! Bad labour practices, Bad reputation! Lets watch Nestle for demo!

Swiss Multinational corporation Nestle engaged in manufacture of milk products has famous underline: Good Food, Good Life. This underline can be seen at several places in Bicholim Taluka where one of the Nestle plant is located at Van-Maulingem village. The other plant is in Ponda Taluka of Goa. 

This post is concerned with controversial labour practices that has led to labour unrest and litigation over the past few years before the office of Labour commissioner, government of Goa. The central issue of contention is that Nestle has suspended some workers, dismissed others and refused to take them back on job. Labour exploitation and Environmental exploitation are the two facets of workings of capitation for profit maximization. 

Labour exploitation by Nestle is alleged by the workers and agitated in various phases so far. Crux of the matter as we understood after speaking to the agitation Union of the contract workers is this. Nestle refuses to owe responsibility to the fate of the workers who are not taken on the job just because they were engaged by the Contractor. Contractor hired the workers and Nestle benefited as Principal employer usurping surplus from workers efforts. 

Now these workers are denied Job and at the litigation at labour commissioner Nestle denies any links with workers and even refuses to delegate its representative. This has been going on for past almost two years, as we learn from the workers and from the available documents that involves minutes of various meetings convened by labour commissioner and  correspondence with Nestle Plant in Van-Maulingem. BMM contacted the President of the Nestle Contract Workers Union Anand Shirodker and we got the following status report:

Payment of Arreas of settlement benefits not paid to 30 workers for five years from 2013-14 to 2017-18. 

Sixteen workers are not taken on job after the break and contractors are insisting on c0ompiance to hire and fire policy of work. 

Three workers terminated from job allegedly for taking active part in Union activity.

Five workers terminated from from their work in Canteen.

International Union of Foods (IUF) was involved initially to support the workers but eventually ditched the workers for the reasons best known to IUF alone.

BMM will continue to bring updates to you on Nestle dispute at Van-Maulingem. This is the way will understand labour exploitation step by step.

Press Release in support of Nestle Contract Workers Union

11^th February 2016

Bharat Mukti Morcha (BMM) extends support and solidarity to Nestle Contract Workers Union (NCWU) based at Maulingem, Bicholim. For the past few months BMM has been interacting with NCWU ever since they shifted their agitation in Panjim. BMM is concerned about targeting of Union Leadership in fabricated manner in order to suppressed workers Union activities. BMM has identified that two of the dedicated and talented leaders of the NCWU Anand B. Shirodkar and Sandesh Gawas are placed on suspension. Workers had formed NCWU on 27/11/2012. Details of the background and fantastic union activities are listed accessible from our blog http://bharatmukti.blogspot.in/2015/12/how-contract-workers-at-nestle-bicholim.html?m=0. 

Our investigation has revealed that Nestle has 8 contractors that supply labour to the factory in Maulingem. One of this S.P.Enterprises has suspended Anand B. Shirodkar while another one M/s Harsh Security and Labour supply services has suspended Sandesh Gawas. Though workers has filed complaint before labour commissioner placing various issues for resolution on 24^th June 2013 and number of hearings has gone by ever since. However refusal of the Nestle management to co-operate by their presence has left the issue unresolved. Even the requests from the Goa labour commissioners to remain present for the hearings has not been honored by Nestle management citing the reasons that they are not involved in master – servant relationship with the contract workers. However involvement of Nestle is revealed from the fact that both the Union leaders Anand B. Shirodker and Sandesh Gawas were placed on suspension on the same date of 23/8/2013. One does not need rocket science to guess that this has been done to prevent labour awakening and unionization, and spreading of Union activities and not for cited reasons of criminal behavior and absenteeism from work.

This is a very sad reality of Goa’s industrialization. Innovative forms are deployed for the purpose of labour exploitation with legal immunity for prosecution. Contractors in collaboration with Nestle Company through these practices are involved in the process of mutilation and disintegration disguised as development.  BMM considers what is happening to NCWU as symptomatic of industrial scenario of Goa – rampant labour exploitation through contract labour with exploitation as a package. If Goa Government labour Ministry cannot get Nestle to discussion table then it must change its name as Ministry of Slavery.

Sd/-

Maggie Silveira

President

Maggi ban lifted yet its parent Nestle continues to torment its workers

Anand B. Shirodkar, is a dashing Union leader of Nestle company in Maulingem North in Bicholim taluka. He has been thrown out from job for past two and half years. His fault is to organise workers for justice. Recently he is involved in creating public out reach in various parts of Goa to explain how this multinational company has been arm twisting the workers for the aim of oppression. He has contacted Bharat Mukti Morcha for support along with his fellow workers. 

Bharat Mukti Morcha has examined the case of the workers and calls upon members of public to do the same. After examination we have found the cause of discontent is solely to suppress dynamic and independent leadership of Shirodkar. He is instrumental in forming Nestle contract workers Union  on 13 February 2013. This is most probably the first Union of Contract Workers in the state of Goa and Shirodkar and all his supporting workers deserve great appreciation. Jai Mulnivasi! 

GVK EMRI Crisis in Goa's Health Department, employees resort to protests

Bharat Mukti Morcha expresses solidarity and support to the 133 agitating employees of the GVK EMRI 108 ambulance service system in attached to the Department of Health Services, Government of Goa that was started on 5th September 2008. 

The employees currently are protesting at Azad Maidan, Panjim with few of them including women resorting to hunger strike. Bharat Mukti Morcha delegation led by Maggie Silveira visited the agitating workers on March 29, 2015 and offered words of support. On quick queries it was revealed that GVK stands for Gopal Venkat Krishna Reddy, and EMRI stands for Emergency Management Research Institute. The scheme had 33 Ambulances for the pick ups from 33 spots across the state of Goa. 

Employees in a bid to resolve their grievances formed Union in 2012. Things headed for confrontation due to non-co-operation of the GVK management and the employees who hail from all over Goa are jobless from 18 February 2015. 11 committee members (3 females and 8 males) of their union known as "108 Ambulance Service Employees Union" stands terminated. Goa CM Parsekar is asking for written apology for protest of the employees violating ESMA Act to press for their demand. Employees has refused to tender written apology. The emergency medical Technicians - 30 females and 30 males along with 70 pilots (drivers) are jobless at present. These employees are not paid their salaries from the month of February 2015.

Worker has been facing various difficulties such as recovery of the cost of damage to the vehicles while in service. The annual increment of their salary is just Rs.11/-. The company is classified as non-profit and not registered with labour department of Goa government even though the principal employee is Government of Goa.

Employees disclosed that they are also not given holidays nor maternity leave. Pregnant women are made to work till the eight month of pregnancy. Women are also made to work on night duty.

Christopher Norman Parakha from Uttarkhand in North India was the Head of Operations when Laxmikant Parsekar was a Health Minister. When Parsekar took over as Chief Minister of Goa three months ago Parakha drew a monthly salary of Rs. 51,776/- while workers salaries capped at around Rs.9,000/-. All salaries are paid by Goa Government. Chief Minister Parsekar immediately after his swearing-in-ceremony got Parakha as his Officer on Special duty (OSD) to the office of the Chief Minister (CM).

It may be noted that GVK has also submitted tender for Mopa Airport construction that Parsekar is pushing strongly for in eastern Pernem. GVK was awarded the contract of 108 Ambulance service of Health department without any tender and without permission from labour department.

Bharat Mukti Morcha has taken note of the following points raised by the workers:

1. All 33 stations to be operated efficiently in public interest with good quality drugs and on board facilities.

2. Security to be provided to the ambulance field employees, at least for female employees.

3. Contract with GVK EMRI need to be scrapped and a corporation under the control of state Government to be formed and the 108 Emergency service to be operated under the corporation.

4. Till the formation of the corporation the GVK company the present contractor should revoke all termination unconditionally and reinstate the worker with continuity I service, Back Wages and other consequential benefits.

5. The present contractor should sign a MoU with Union to this effect.

6. All labour laws applicable to the employees be implemented with immediate effect.

Currently around 5 ambulances are in operation with staff brought in from Telangana and provided police protection. Police protection was never provided to agitating employees from Goa in spite of requests while they were on duty.

It looks as if the Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar is not only the captive slave of Defense Minister of India Bamon Manohar Parrikar but also of the Parakha, his choice OSD for the greater ruin of public interest, Public Health and labour interest. Ruling Party BJP was started and continues to be under control of Bamons.

Bamnacho bamon desh todu-ia ! Bamongirichi dhuspot ghalu-ia !!

Khup vorsa fatim 1945 vorsa Shenain aplea “Kahi Marathi Lekh” hea pustokant boron dovorlam “Zor Bharat swatantra zallear amche Bamon fokot Juiz, Prodhan Montri, Army –  vodil, Porrastranim Rajdoot zatole pun amche boss boltech astole. Bamon fokot sutavoileo nachpi bauleo urteleo. Heach khatir tanche baxe soit  tancho desh asunk zai. Tanchi bhaxa mhunje Bamani. Goy hi hea Bamon desachi Rajdhani astoli.” 

Tea uprant tendacho CM Manohar Parrikeran 2002 vorsa hea Shenaik  Goychi osmitai mhunn porgotlo ! Tanem hea Shenaik Mulnivasi lokacho purvoz and vodil mhunn porgotlo ! Hech tem Bamon Raj !

98% Mulnivasi Bahujan lok he chodxe motorcycle pilots, rickshaw drivers, bus drivers, conductors, clerks, peons, na tor rosteachea donui vattani ubhe raun fullam viktat. 2% Eurasian Bamnanim 90% uchavoilim poddacher karashtan korun tabo kela. 

Bamnanim 90% Mulnivasi lokachi zomin aplea ghorantlea bailank Portuguese kalachea officerank vaprunk diun aplea tabeant ghetli. Hea velar 2% Bamnanim 90% zomin aplea malkichi kelea. 

Outumbrache 2005 vorsa Porvorichea XCHR eka public uloupant eka Bamnan gorvan apli xati bodoun oxem sanglem “Bamnanim Goychea Mulnivasi Bahujanacheo don pideo vibadlea, ani anink don pideo vibadtele. Haka anik upai na.”

Shah commissionan puraveam soit dakon dilam ki adlo CM Digambar Kamat ho Rs.35 hozar crore minache chorient gutlolo asa. He Rs. 35 hozar crore porot ghevpak Goy sorkaran kainch paulam uklunk na. 

Vanxim ani Terekhola, Bamon Raj lokak dumalo diun bollan Golf courses, villas, private marinas, spas, recreational clubs, zobordosti korit asat. 

RSS, VHP, Sanatan, Bamoni bhasha hea sogleancho vapor Bamanani Mulnivasi lokak gulam korunk kela.  Oxech Bamon Mulnivasi Bahujan samajat ghuspet kortat. Mulnivasi Bahujan lokamodem futt ghalun Bamon ispa bhair sottechi follam bhogtat. Hi follam zaun asat marekar marghae vadd, bekarponn, akontvadd, naxalvadd ani broxtochar.

Goychea adivasink Bamnani fotoileat, odik korun ghotneache 5^th Schedule lagu korinastana dovorlam, kiteak Bamnank zomni and min chorpak zai dekhun.

Portugues sorkarak 450 vorsa legun Romi Konkani ani Marathi bhasho bond korpak zaunk na. He kam atam  Bamon tanchea Bamonrashtr ghodun hadpak hikmoddin korit asat. Romi Konkani ani Marathichi zogdim Bamnanim lailim ani apli Bamani bhas Goychi Raj Bhas kurun aplem kam sadoilem. Hech tem Bamon Raj !

Hea sogleant zinsabhasani Mulnivasi Bahujan samajachea lokak nadleat ani Musolmana and taxi ownerachea aad challon ghalpak polletat. Bamnani Musolmanak ‘Akontvadi’ porgtlea ani South Goa Taxi ownerank ‘gangs’ ani ‘mafia mhun porgotlea. Goenchea vellancher shack ownerank Goy sorkar chitunk zaina tosle tras dit asa.

Fatlea Bamon Congress sorkaran nimanea disanim 900 tornateank Bolaiki Khatean, Min khatean ani Water resource khatean kamank laupachi potram kadlim. Atachea Bamon sorkaran tankam azunui kamar bhorti zaupak diunk nam. Amchea Mulnviasi tornateank motam gheun ‘tissue paper’ koshe vaprun udoileat. Hanga, ek proxn upzota: Goyant 90% dotor he Bamon, tanchi sonkhea 2% vun subhes nam, torui punn 90% dotor Bamon koxe ? Hache karon mutlear Bamnachi ispa bhair podvi ani he podve virem dotorkiche xikshon GMC ekdom marok kelem ani amchea Mulnivasi Bahujanak tank na korun dovorlem. He Bamanche karastan.

Goyant Casino suru korpak Bamonuch. Casinok virodh korpak bamonuch. Punn ho virodh fokot podver ievunk kelo. Podver eilea uprant heach Bamnanim Casinok anik sovloteo vadoun dileo.

Xi ! Such disgusting, mean, degraded, betrayer, cunning, doubtful parentage, shameless, masked, cheater, looter, species as Eurasian Bamons is not found anywhere else in the universe.

Mulnivasi Bahujan Samaj zagrut zayat !  Gulamgiricheo sakleo todun udoyat !   Bamongiri chiddun muddun udou-ia !  Bamnache Bamon Raj kabar korun soddya ! Chint, mon laun paula fudem ghalu-ia ani tumche hazar asnem soglech bodlun udoitolem !

BAMCEFche eka disachem chouthem Goy Rajya Adhiveshanant bhag gheunk amche amontron. Tumi euchem Banaule Panchayat Hollant Oitumbrache 7 ver, Aitara sokalim 9 voracher tem sanje 6 vora meren.

“ See you in big numbers ! ”

Jai Bharat !                                          Jai Mulnivasi !

Bharat Mukti Morcha condemns Goa Chief Minister over recruitment conspiracy

Bharat Mukti Morcha extends support to the Bhahujan mulnivasi youth protesting against the injustice meted out to them in recruitment for appointments in Goa Medical College and Directorate of Health Services, Department of Mines and Geology, and Department of Water Resources.

Around 900 youth recruited for different type and categoryof jobs are protesting the political blockade of their appointment to the selectedposts. The political block has been created by Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar.

The youth in case of Goa Medical College were served with legally valid memorandum offer of recruitment on 20th December2011 while Directorate of Health Services served the legally valid memorandum containing offer of temporary appointment on 22^nd  December 2011. The further process was held up due to State Assembly code of Conduct on December  24 2011.

Subsequently after the elections BJP government acquired power with Manohar Parrikar as Chief Minister. When the youth followed up on the process of their recruitment Chief Minister did not support the selected bhahujan mulnivasi youth thereby dishonoring legally valid memorandum.

Youth hailing from different parts of Goa are protesting in capital city of Panjim for the past few days. Few days back on 29th May 2012 these bhahujan mulnivasi youth marched though heart of Panjim  City shouting slogans against the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar after his guard followed by Chief Minister publicly attacked the mulnivasi Bhahujan youth Roshan Chari outside official residence of the Chief Minister. Today these youth have squatted outside the official residence of Chief Minister at Altinho, Panjim.

Bharat Mukti Morcha considers agitation of these mulnivasi youth just and fair, and extends support to them. It is a great brahmanical conspiracy that has driven Goa's Bahujan samaj to the street protests. This is a case of political manipulation to deny these posts to the selected candidates.

Bharat Mukti Morcha also takes serious note of the discriminatory criteria of preference of vote and place of residence while indulging in political manipulations. Bharat Mukti Morcha strongly condemns Chief Minister for this nefarious act.

Bharat Mukti Morcha considers this as one more instance of Brahmanical colonialism and calls upon Mulnivasi Bhahujan Samaj to unite and join Bharat Mukti Morcha for a nation wide agitation for liberation.

Bharat Mukti Morcha supports Goa health department agitating workers

Bharat Mukti Morcha on 17^th November 2011 extended support to the contract workers on hunger strike in front of Department of Health Services, Panjim, Goa. All these workers are mulnivasis and are suffering. The support was conveyed to the agitating workers by two member delegation from Bharat Mukti Morcha consisting its Goa State Convenor Sebastian Rodrigues and Bharat Mukti Morcha Mahila Aghadi President Maggie Silveira.

Bharat Mukti Morcha advises Goa government to regularize workers on hunger strike.

It was 10th day of their hunger strike on 17^th November 2011 and demonstrations in front of the Health department main office in Panjim. Workers are protesting against betrayal of their rights by Goa’s brahmanical congress government headed by Digambar Kamat with Vishwajit Rane as his Health Minister. Workers have organized themselves as Injustice Malaria Workers Union.

These workers are working on contract for the past 16 years. 77 of them had joined health department in malaria section as daily wage workers in 1996. Later on more joined and this number went up to 124. Out of these some workers left the job and 87 remained employed. Their daily wage then was Rs.58/-. In 1998 contract system started and they were absorbed as contract workers with a monthly salary of Rs.1,500/-. In 2004 their salary was hiked to Rs.2,600/- per month. In 2006 the monthly salary was further hiked to Rs.3,900/-. In 2010 however their monthly salary was reduced to Rs. 3,600/-. In 2011 salary was hiked to Rs. 6,600/-. All this changes came about precisely because of the organized efforts by workers.

In 2008 special posts were created for these workers. All the workers were interviewed and only 11 were absorbed. The rest of the posts according to the agitating workers were sold at the rate of Rs. 6 lakh  to Rs. 10 lakh each.

On 20^th March 2010 these workers went on hunger strike for 17 days. Chief Minister Digambar Kamat assured to regularize the agitating workers within a month. Based on his promise hunger strike then was called off. On 5^thApril 2010 there was joint meeting with Chief Minister where he assured the workers of regularization. Chief Minister failed to honor his own words and workers continued to suffer. In December 2010 Chief Minister denied his assurance.

On 27^th January 2011 workers organized a rally in Panjim. After the rally health minister Rane assured the workers in presence of media and public that workers will be regularized within a 30 days. However no action was taken. Workers went on another hunger strike from 7^th April to 18th April 2011. After 12 days workers were assured regularization by July 2011. This promise again was not fulfilled. Workers contract will get over at the end of November 2011. Now workers have resolved that they will call off their hunger strike only after they get their appointment letter in hand.

On 14^th November 2011 rally Chief Minister Digambar Kamat assured to solve problem within 3 days. Chief Minister is playing with workers. He is only promising them verbally nothing happening practically. On 15^th November 2011 DySP Dev Banaulekar came to workers with message from Chief Minister to call off the Hunger strike and move away or he will arrest all of them. Workers refused to move away and told police officer to go ahead and arrest them. Police officer did not arrest but went away. Workers continue their hunger strike. Their final decision “We will not call off hunger strike till we get our appointment letter in hand.”

Bharat Mukti morcha supports workers on hunger strike here and stands in Solidarity with them.