In 2008, Goa had been adjudged one of the most corrupt among smaller States in India, as surveys indicated that most people pay bribes to avail of Government schemes and services. Earlier, we attained notoriety for countless defections and consequent instability of Governments and change of CMs, which prompted a journalist in Bangalore ask me: “Who is your Chief Minister today?” After a long lull, the “party with a difference” with sizeable funds at its disposal, managed to poach or take support from traitors of the electorate and overturn people’s mandate.
The administration, all over the country, has, for long, been rooted in dishonesty, corruption, bribery and even frauds. Diversion of funds and food items meant for people affected by floods, earthquakes and other natural calamities to politicians and bureaucrats for their own and their friends’ consumption and benefit has been a regular happening. There are no compunctions in depriving the needy. Protection or connivance of the Govt. allows the culprits to go unpunished. The recent pandemic has seen a similar situation.
Frankly, one does not know how the PM CareFund or the Rs 20 lakh crores package are being used and for whose benefit. What we witnessed, however, particularly among the migrants - some travelling miles on foot, hungry, braving scorching sun, with their women, children and belongings, some dying on the way, exhausted,- was enough to break the hearts even of the most insensitive, but not of those in power.
There has been total lack of transparency, mismanagement and confusion in every field, with an eye on what benefits could be derived from this situation. Unending queues of migrants standing for long hours, for their turn at the stations, some with children in their arms, most thirsty and hungry, some wandering from place to place, was a sad and depressing scene. Food and water were served in the queues by kind people and organisations, not by the government which could have shown some generosity to these poor people. Possibly, it was done at the shelters, but even this questionable, as many voluntary organisations and individuals were also feeding the migrants there. There are also reports of food not being served during the journey and only one bread and water being given at the beginning of the journey. No wonder, some charitable people had set up tables at Margao station to provide food for the journey to departing migrants. A thorough investigation is needed, as cuts or diversion of funds cannot be ruled out, if all meals were to be supplied.
I was myself a witness to migrants being driven away not only from Fatorda shelter at the stadium ground but also from surrounding footpaths last Sunday evening and again on Monday morning. Women with little children and even one with a baby in one hand, a heavy bag in another and a big suitcase on the head were left to fend for themselves on Sunday, until Fr Simon D’Cunha Chaplain at St. Joaquim Chapel, Borda and another priest dropped two families to a place miles away and arranged for a rickshaw to transport another, to save them from the rains.
Not only were the train schedule not always known, but there were reports of one having left early last Sunday and migrants having been turned away from the counter, only to be transported to KTC bus stand, where private bus operators showed up, willing to take them to Jarkhand and some other places for Rs 6000 per head. Was this pre-planned to earn some commissions?
Many of us may have our own views about the preferential treatment given to migrants by politicians, who used them as vote banks. Migrants are not to blame for that. Blame it on people we elect and bureaucrats, who also allowed them voting rights, both here and at their native place. But I must say, with all sincerity, Goans rose above petty considerations and showed compassion, empathy and kindness in great measure, particularly in feeding migrants, wherever they were seen. Had it not been for these kind souls, we could have had unpleasant happenings due to starvation or dehydration.
Another scam, which needs investigation, is the so-called relief payment of Rs 6000 to each registered construction worker, where there is reportedly a fraud of crores siphoned off to non-labourers, including four sarpanchs, as confirmed by CM himself. Incidentally, these belong to BJP. Goa Forward alleged that in one case Rs 100,000 and in another Rs 900,000 were disbursed. None other than Panjim former BJP MLA Sidharth Kunkalienkar has demanded an investigation into this Rs 13.15 crore scam.
One more issue which raises suspicions is the compulsory quarantine in private and not government hotels only for Goan seafarers and NRIs. Videos have been going viral of shabby conditions and meager food in some hotels, specifically one in Colva. Another case of looting or commissions earned by someone?
So, it is obvious that the Government has been using the lockdown not only to indulge in illegalities and implement its agenda of facilitating coal, restarting mining, extending railway tracks, filling fields for highways, felling trees, etc but also to misuse and mismanage funds to serve its own interests and of its own people.
Having said enough about the government, let me make a small but fervent appeal to our own people not to treat people infected with Covid-19 as untouchables. It could be our turn tomorrow and we would not like being treated likewise. Show empathy towards our suffering brethren.
(The author is a retired banker)