Recently in my village I, first time in my life, attended the village Gram Sabah Meeting where to my surprise everyone interested in the progress of the village attended the Meet except some of the former village leaders and former elected representatives of the village Panchayat.
It was surprising to see these local leaders showing no interest in the village affairs while once when they were ruling the village they were acting like local Maharajas and feudal lords as if the village affairs belonged to them only. When they were legislating the village affairs from the village Panchayat, they were giving an impression that they were having monopoly and devine right to think and act for and on behalf of the village and villagers.
But once they were sidelined from ruling the village legislature they forgot their responsibilities towards their village. These are not genuine village leaders having genuine love for the development of their village but they are fake leaders. Such fake leaders are mushrooming all over Goa and because of their step motherly love for their villages there is not much development in our villages except that many of them made development of their own Bank balance by looting the village exchequers and the villagers by extorting bribe. Otherwise how they amassed huge wealth after their entry into the local bodies and Legislative Assembly?
Many of them before entering into public life had no Cycle but later on they purchased posh cars including foreign brand cars. Some of them built Bungalows and Hotels costing crores of rupees. From where they got the money? What is their income as legislators? Is there any need to know that their wealth is looted wealth? And on top of it they are shamelessly moving in society with their heads high. Most of these rascals coming from the Catholic faith are flirting with the village Pe. Vigars who got no marbles to preach from the Altar against these elected robbers. The village Pe. Vigars are keeping their silence on these Catholic political leaders because these leaders share a part of their loot with the Pe. Vigars who for the sake of money will even sell the Church. Don’t we know that Jesus was sold for 30 Coins by his own disciple, Judas?
There was a time when these village leaders while ruling our village were acting as owners of the village but now being out of power they are become non entities in our village. They have lost their sense of identity though some of them have money which is not everything in life. When they were in power they were acting in the village with the villagers very proud and arrogant as if the power will remain with them permanently. They never realized that the power will come like gypsy and also disappear like gypsy. Because of their earlier pride and arrogance villagers hate them and precisely because of this hatred they are shying away from public life in the village. They have no courage to interact with the villagers as they used to do earlier because they are afraid that villagers may spit on them for the sins they committed on common people.
It is a pity now to see the defeated representatives roaming around as non entities without any adoration by the public. Now not even a “KUDDO MUS” is looking at them, so pathetetic state of affairs they are facing as far as public life is concerned. Some of them have lot of looted money but who cares for their money? Their money is their monopoly.
I hope all the current elected representatives will learn some lessons from their defeated predecessors and act accordingly. Pride has its fall. If they act proud, arrogant and harass the people then their turn will also come very fast for the disgraceful life.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim,
Goa.