Only one more day is left for Panchayat election but the noise and the money flow generating it looks this is more than American presidential election at least in my village though there is not a single candidate other than one or two who is a real social worker to fight for the public cause. Almost all are selfish whose record of public service is Zero but yet they want to be the leaders and when stupid voters elect them then they act stupid, arrogant and proud with the locals as if they are the feudal lords. Such representatives are a burden on the village.
Yet such candidates are promoted by the interested persons – parties –panels. In my village to get their candidates elected, even Rs. 4000/- are paid to the voters. From where so much of money is coming for distribution? This is the big question mark and for answer it is not very difficult. People like me from poor family background must come up in life but they must acquire their wealth thru proper means and not make the use of their wealth for pride and arrogance and to challenge others. They must in their prosperity show simplicity and humility otherwise they will surely receive the wrath of God. Today most of the politicians who acquired wealth so fast and thru illicit methods are originally coming from the poor background but later on they forget their past because they are suffering from pride complex.
Bribing the voters and buying of votes is a sin in which both the buyers and sellers are committing a sin. Hence, in tomorrow’s sermon in our Churches the priests must tell the faithful the sinfulness of this fraud. Church duty is to keep the faithful sin-free so that his road to heaven is clean.
Dr. Jack Sequeira once speaking on this bribery, said, if anybody gives you money accept it but don’t vote for him because he is a crimidor and such criminals are to be punished. Hence, punish them in the coming Panchayat election.
People in my village and elsewhere too must vote for the right candidates to do right justice for the villagers. Our Sarpanchas and Panchas are become corrupt and if we re-elect them then there is a fear our villages to become a HELL.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim.