Panaji
Goa, the tiny state which has seen 19 chief ministers since its liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961, is not novice for the political instability and stories of betrayals.
The state got statehood in 1987 also inherited the instability from that year onwards. Pratapsingh Rane, none of the chief ministers since then have been able to complete their tenure of five years.
The state saw the lowest ebb in the year 1994 when Ravi Naik, the current home minister, was made chief minister only for seven days before being replaced by Dr Wilfred D'Souza.
Incidently, Goa had all its chief ministers completing the full tenure, when it was an union territory with 30 constituencies, of these two constituencies were from Daman and Diu.
The state has witnessed the most odd political equations and unexpected moves by the politicians once the constituencies were increased to 40 after the statehood. At times, the history has repeated and tables are turned as they are happening now for Goa chief minister Digamber Kamat.
BJP leader Manohar Parrikar's successful stint was cut short in a coupe that was led by Atanasio Monserratte in the year 2005. Parrikar would have managed to save his chair, if not Kamat, who was then second in command in BJP government switched over the sides.
The history has repeated itself two years later when the same Monserratte is leading the coupe against Kamat and this time, Parrikar is getting all the muscles to avenge the 2005 episode.
Also, it was the same Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party (MGP) which had fuelled the coupe against Parrikar. And this time, MGP is again in action, against Kamat.
Since 1987, Pratapsingh Rane, now the speaker of legislative assembly, has served most of the years. He is four time chief minister serving for more than a decade, put together all his years.
Before statehood, Rane had a successful undisturbed chief ministerial spat for almost 17 years, the longest serving tenure of any chief minister in goa.
The state which was liberated from Portuguese rule in the year 1961 had Military governor K P Candeth and T Shivashankar till 1963 when the first general election was held in the state electing Dayanand Bandodkar as the chief minister.
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak party, Bandodkar's baby, ruled the state till August 12, 1973 when he passed away. His daughter Shashikala Kakodkar took over the reins of the state till 1979. All this time, the MGP ruled the state.
The 1980 election saw regional party being replaced by Indian national congress swearing in young and dynamic leader Pratapsingh Rane as the chief minister. He continued for next 17 years before Goa got into the instability mode.
The first shortest serving chief minister was Churchill Alemao, who served the state for only 17 days before resigning on his own to let Luis Proto Barbosa take over the chair.
Barbosa lasted for only eight months. Ravi Naik replaced him in a political changeover. Naik served for two years.
Dr Wilfred D'Souza was installed on the chair for next one year between 1993 to April 1994. In the year 1994, Naik hatching a toppling game managed to get over the chair, which he could stick to for only seven days before being disqualified by the court.
Since then Pratapsingh Rane (congress), Dr Wilfred D'Souza (Congress), Luizinho Faleiro (congress), Fransisco Sardinha (Goa Rajiv Congress), Manohar Parrikar (BJP) and now Digamber Kamat became the chief minister heading the political combinations.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Detention centre for overstaying foreigners
Panaji
Goa police will form a special detention centre for the foreigners who are overstaying in the state despite expiry of their visa, police officials stated.
The tourist state, baffled with the drug trafficking problem, has decided to nail down the foreigners abusing local laws.
``It's not an imprisonment. It will be more like a holding area where all the foreigners who have overstayed can stay,'' deputy inspector general of police, Ujjwal Mishra stated stating about the `detention centre.'
In the recent meeting state home minister Ravi Naik has asked the police higher ups to adopt no tolerance behaviour towards the foreigners violating the laws. The home minister had asked the department to pump in more iron to its anti narcotic cell and control the drug trafficking in this tourist state, especially in the coastal belt.
The issue of foreigners `overstaying' was also brought for the discussion during the hi-level meet.
``There are many foreigners who overstay in Goa for genuine reasons like an illness or lack of connecting flight. We will not treat them like criminals in detention centre,'' the DIG said.
Every foreigner who enters India on a visa valid for more than 180 days or 6 months has to register himself with the Foreigners Registration Officer in whose jurisdiction the foreign National wishes to reside within 14 days of arrival into India unless otherwise a special endorsement is made on the visa by the issuing Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad, states Goa police website www.goapolice.org.
``Tourist visas are not extendable and these instructions are forth coming at the base of every visa issued to the foreign National. However in cases of emergent situations like sickness the applications for extention of the Tourist visa has to be made to the Under Secretary(Home), Home Department, Foreigners Division, Secretariat, Porvorim Goa,'' the website adds.
Goa police are piqued over the tracing of some foreigners who stay here without proper travel documents. ``We had specific information about ten nigerians, of whom we managed to pick up four. Three of them were not even having their passport while one had no valid visa,'' Mishra stated.
This means, he said, these people have served sentence somewhere and their visa is impounded by the respective government.
``We feel that their sustainance is through drugs,'' the DIG stated. He said that the police are on look out for six more from this gang.
Goa police said that most of the foreigners visiting Goa are genuine but only these few black sheeps that bring bad name to the entire lot.
Goa police will form a special detention centre for the foreigners who are overstaying in the state despite expiry of their visa, police officials stated.
The tourist state, baffled with the drug trafficking problem, has decided to nail down the foreigners abusing local laws.
``It's not an imprisonment. It will be more like a holding area where all the foreigners who have overstayed can stay,'' deputy inspector general of police, Ujjwal Mishra stated stating about the `detention centre.'
In the recent meeting state home minister Ravi Naik has asked the police higher ups to adopt no tolerance behaviour towards the foreigners violating the laws. The home minister had asked the department to pump in more iron to its anti narcotic cell and control the drug trafficking in this tourist state, especially in the coastal belt.
The issue of foreigners `overstaying' was also brought for the discussion during the hi-level meet.
``There are many foreigners who overstay in Goa for genuine reasons like an illness or lack of connecting flight. We will not treat them like criminals in detention centre,'' the DIG said.
Every foreigner who enters India on a visa valid for more than 180 days or 6 months has to register himself with the Foreigners Registration Officer in whose jurisdiction the foreign National wishes to reside within 14 days of arrival into India unless otherwise a special endorsement is made on the visa by the issuing Indian Embassy or Consulate abroad, states Goa police website www.goapolice.org.
``Tourist visas are not extendable and these instructions are forth coming at the base of every visa issued to the foreign National. However in cases of emergent situations like sickness the applications for extention of the Tourist visa has to be made to the Under Secretary(Home), Home Department, Foreigners Division, Secretariat, Porvorim Goa,'' the website adds.
Goa police are piqued over the tracing of some foreigners who stay here without proper travel documents. ``We had specific information about ten nigerians, of whom we managed to pick up four. Three of them were not even having their passport while one had no valid visa,'' Mishra stated.
This means, he said, these people have served sentence somewhere and their visa is impounded by the respective government.
``We feel that their sustainance is through drugs,'' the DIG stated. He said that the police are on look out for six more from this gang.
Goa police said that most of the foreigners visiting Goa are genuine but only these few black sheeps that bring bad name to the entire lot.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Remo to Chill in England
Remo Fernandes, the internationally acclaimed pop singer, will be enthralling the audience at the Big Chill festival to be held in England from August 3 to 5.
According to the festival's official website www. Bigchill.net, the musical event will be held at a camping weekend, set in the beautiful surroundings of Eastnor Castle Deer Park, deep in the Malvern Hills, England.
Fernandes, who had played with the opening band with Big Chill in Goa, this year in mid-April, is specially invited by the organisers of this world famous musical festival.
"It's honour to play for such a festival", said Fernandes adding, "the organizers of this festival respect nature and they leave no trace of the festival after it is over. There is no garbage littered or rubbish around".
Big Chill is one of the biggest music festivals in UK. The festival hit the Indian shores for the first time in April with their two-day long performance at Ashwem beach in North Goa.
"I really enjoyed playing in Big Chill in Goa. After their Goa tour we exchanged few e-mails," Fernandes told PTI.
Remo, who was honoured with Padmashree award recently, played in the opening band "chilled by nature," led by Pete Lawrence, the mentor of Big Chill.
Fernandes also played in the concluding band "Cold Cut" led by Matt Black in Goa. "Me playing in both the bands was a coincidence," Fernandes said.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Asia's exclusive space for Confession
Panaji
Asia's first chapel preaching sacrament of confession and reconciliation has become reality at Pillar, 10 kms away from the capital city of Panaji.
The exclusive space, named ``Reconciliation Chapel,'' has designed on unique theme of ``celebrating God's forgiveness'' at the four century old seminary building. Tucked on the hillock in Pillar village, the chapel will have special services on Thursdays while priests would be available everyday for `confessions,' the officials confirmed.
``This is the first of its kind.. unique.. We have never heard of such a thing except an exclusive space offered in Rome for confessions and reconciliations,'' Fr Tony Fernandes, Vice-Postulator, Pillar complex, stated.
The chapel is conceptualised on the theme of ``reconciliation'' which is an essential element of the mystery of salvation and an integral part of Christian living, he said.
Various painting narratting scenes in Bible and Lord Jesus' relationship with the sinner are embeded in the chapel walls. ``When Jesus went up to the Father, he promised the Holy Spirit, the spirit of forgiveness, to be our guide and comforter,'' Fr Fernandes, who has supervised every step while the concept took shape, explained.
Fr Fernandes said that the chapel, which was formally inaugurated on July five, has people from outside Goa too flocking for the confession and reconciliations.
The paintings was various reconciliation scenes from the bible -- Adam and Eve, Day of Atonement, David's repentance, the woman caught in adultery, the Paralytic healed by Jesus -- and others. The wall in the chapel also depicts key events in the salvific presence of Jesus in the world -- Baptism, Death and Resurrection.
The seminary, which is hosting the chapel, is run by Diocesan Missionary society of St Francis Xavier.
The structure houses tomb of Fr Agnelo D'Souza, a priest who died in 1927 and the process of canonisation of this priest has begun by the society, which will give him sainthood.
``The seminary always used to have reconciliation and confessions put lack of space hampered it. It was decided at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the year 2003 to arrange suitable place for the sacrament of reconciliation,'' Fr Fernandes said.
Asia's first chapel preaching sacrament of confession and reconciliation has become reality at Pillar, 10 kms away from the capital city of Panaji.
The exclusive space, named ``Reconciliation Chapel,'' has designed on unique theme of ``celebrating God's forgiveness'' at the four century old seminary building. Tucked on the hillock in Pillar village, the chapel will have special services on Thursdays while priests would be available everyday for `confessions,' the officials confirmed.
``This is the first of its kind.. unique.. We have never heard of such a thing except an exclusive space offered in Rome for confessions and reconciliations,'' Fr Tony Fernandes, Vice-Postulator, Pillar complex, stated.
The chapel is conceptualised on the theme of ``reconciliation'' which is an essential element of the mystery of salvation and an integral part of Christian living, he said.
Various painting narratting scenes in Bible and Lord Jesus' relationship with the sinner are embeded in the chapel walls. ``When Jesus went up to the Father, he promised the Holy Spirit, the spirit of forgiveness, to be our guide and comforter,'' Fr Fernandes, who has supervised every step while the concept took shape, explained.
Fr Fernandes said that the chapel, which was formally inaugurated on July five, has people from outside Goa too flocking for the confession and reconciliations.
The paintings was various reconciliation scenes from the bible -- Adam and Eve, Day of Atonement, David's repentance, the woman caught in adultery, the Paralytic healed by Jesus -- and others. The wall in the chapel also depicts key events in the salvific presence of Jesus in the world -- Baptism, Death and Resurrection.
The seminary, which is hosting the chapel, is run by Diocesan Missionary society of St Francis Xavier.
The structure houses tomb of Fr Agnelo D'Souza, a priest who died in 1927 and the process of canonisation of this priest has begun by the society, which will give him sainthood.
``The seminary always used to have reconciliation and confessions put lack of space hampered it. It was decided at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations in the year 2003 to arrange suitable place for the sacrament of reconciliation,'' Fr Fernandes said.
Padmashree Remo Fernandes
Panaji
Total 25 short message services (sms) and 30 missed calls on his cell phone were awaiting Remo Fernandes to wake up when he got the pleasant surprise of being selected for coveted Padmashree award.
"I was emotional and tongue tight when I read that I have got the highest honour. I am not a typical Padmashree awardee type. I am n ot one of those serious intellectual guys," Remo said reacting to his selection for coveted award.
Talking to this reporter over phone from Ahmedabad, where he was scheduled to perform in a concert, when the announcement came in, Remo said,``the honour was unexpected one as he has been adopting critical approach towards those in power.
"I am a rebel kind. Criticising governments when they do wrong and always against corrupt ministers," internationally acclaimed pop singer, who, in the past, objected to holding international film festival of India (IFFI) in Goa at the cost of state exchequer, stated.The selection speaks of open minded and broad approach of the selection committee for Padmashree awards, he commented.
Remo, who is yet to get any state level award constituted by Goa government, said that couple of weeks back intelligence bureau (IB) had inquired about his background."There was also a request to send bio-data for the award.
After sending the bio, I Forgot about it as it has happened for times that someone suggests the name, biodata is sought but nothing comes," said Remo, India’s contribution to international music. Remo is midst hectic schedule with various concerts lined up for him.
Replying to a question, Remo said that he has always been not selected for Goa level awards as he has been thrashing the state government over various anti-people issues."There are certain petty thieves who can’t face me," the singer said.
Total 25 short message services (sms) and 30 missed calls on his cell phone were awaiting Remo Fernandes to wake up when he got the pleasant surprise of being selected for coveted Padmashree award.
"I was emotional and tongue tight when I read that I have got the highest honour. I am not a typical Padmashree awardee type. I am n ot one of those serious intellectual guys," Remo said reacting to his selection for coveted award.
Talking to this reporter over phone from Ahmedabad, where he was scheduled to perform in a concert, when the announcement came in, Remo said,``the honour was unexpected one as he has been adopting critical approach towards those in power.
"I am a rebel kind. Criticising governments when they do wrong and always against corrupt ministers," internationally acclaimed pop singer, who, in the past, objected to holding international film festival of India (IFFI) in Goa at the cost of state exchequer, stated.The selection speaks of open minded and broad approach of the selection committee for Padmashree awards, he commented.
Remo, who is yet to get any state level award constituted by Goa government, said that couple of weeks back intelligence bureau (IB) had inquired about his background."There was also a request to send bio-data for the award.
After sending the bio, I Forgot about it as it has happened for times that someone suggests the name, biodata is sought but nothing comes," said Remo, India’s contribution to international music. Remo is midst hectic schedule with various concerts lined up for him.
Replying to a question, Remo said that he has always been not selected for Goa level awards as he has been thrashing the state government over various anti-people issues."There are certain petty thieves who can’t face me," the singer said.
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