The Konkani saying “KHAPURLEAK THANAIM SARKIM ANI KULEI SARKE” applies to our government that sends its Ministers and MLA’s outside Goa for medical treatment, even if you say anything to them they will not care because everything is the same for them like Khapurlim. Their attitude is “let us enjoy ourselves the best of benefits for us only and let the others go to hell”. This is the socialism of India where “all are equal but some are more equal”. When there is no proper bed at GMC for some patients, the few privileged Ministers are given most luxurious treatment abroad spending crores of rupees and yet these ministers are not even ashamed to enjoy the luxurious treatment when their own brothers are longing to get proper medical treatment in the government hospitals in Goa, mainly the GMC.
That in the government hospitals in Goa the medical treatment is not good is a hard fact and because of this fact the few privileged ministers are running away from Goa to better hospitals elsewhere at taxpayers cost when in fact these privileged few can afford the same treatment by spending their own money from their own pockets which they accumulate mostly by unfair means. Otherwise how can they accumulate crores within a few months of acquiring their ministerial posts? They may say anything to show their innocence with crocodile tears saying they never received the bribe even of 10 Payse. They are liars number one. They know the “Khazur” of ministerial power and precisely because of this they are resisting their dethroning from ministerial positions by their Chief Ministers. If necessary some of them even dole their wives and daughters to their superiors even if they are seated in Delhi in the High Command Office to protect their ministerial posts.
When they own the Bungalows and Limousines and other luxuries costing crores of rupees then can’t they afford to pay their own medical bills? In this case why they have to be at the mercy of government money? The money government spending after their treatment outside Goa can instead be spent after creating more and better medical facilities in the government hospitals for Goans.
The disclosure of their heavy expenses and exposure of their expenditure at government cost is condemnable, thanks to Herald for its boldness to expose them. During election time when they come to our places like beggars minus the “Bikechi Kotti”, they say they are all equal but when taking treatment outside Goa, are they not equal? At the time of begging for our votes they identify themselves with the common people but otherwise they don’t especially while taking medical treatment abroad. Their shouting at the time of electioneering at the top of their voices that they are as common and as simple as any other commoner and simple person is just a pure “BONDDOL” With the power associated with them they forget their traditional past and acquire the robes of local Maharajas. This status they indicate by their display of their new Bungalows or Ministerial high profile Bungalows at Panjim Altinho, government provided vehicles with security personnel or top luxurious foreign brand Limousins like Mercedes – Audi – Porsche etc makes them proud. Are these amenities within the reach of simple person and commoner? But in actual terms they are totally different because once they are elected they acquire excessive amount of easy money and with their official power associated with their official status they automatically become aristocrats and hence they fall into the category of high level and not remain in the category of simple nor common person’s category.
If the government is worried of the health of its ministers and MLA’s then the government must forget about it, they are not dying so soon if you look at their physiques and other activities. However, if they die, they will surely die at the destined time and place just as the big stalwarts of BJP namely Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jetley and Manohar Parrikar have died recently. Heaven will not fall if more are gone, it is in the hands of God who takes away the troublesome first so that others live in peace.
A.Veronica Fernandes.