BJP stuck between warring allies in Goa, turns into a referee

The first 100 days of the BJP-led coalition government in Goa have been more about appeasing alliance partners than setting up base rules for governance, observers say.

The BJP formed the government on March 13 after losing the popular mandate. The party tied up with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and Goa Forward Party in order to attain the magical majority figure of 21, but this unplanned alliance between the parties has often resulted in disputes between the smaller partners.

The BJP is confined to playing the role of a referee as it tries to strike a balance.

For example, when tourism minister Manohar Asgaonkar — a Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party member — blamed Indian tourists for spoiling Goan heritage and also asked for a ban on the Lamani community, BJP MLA Michael Lobo was forced to apologise for the comments to contain the outrage.

Next, MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar was quoted by the media asking for a complete ban on beef slaughter.

His remark came days after a VHP leader in Goa had asked for outlawing beef. The statement went down so badly with the Christian and Muslim communities in Goa that chief minister Manohar Parrikar had to step in to clear the air.

“We believe in law. We will follow it. I cannot stop anyone as long as freedom of speech exists. As far as I am concerned, I am here to ensure law is followed. The law will be followed,” Parrikar had said.

But even after these clarifications, the issue continues to simmer.

“It was an unplanned and a completely unexpected government. Goans had never expected that the BJP will come to power and to make it interesting, Manohar Parrikar will return to the state as the chief minister. So it’s very difficult to find the baseline of this government. The government looks in a state of confusion right now,” said senior journalist Fredrick Noronha.

The common minimum programme (CMP), which the chief minister had talked about soon after forming the gov- ernment in March, was also presented to the state after a delay of three months.

Last year, the then BJP government led by Laxmikanth Parsekar had reclassified the coconut tree as a ‘grass’, prompting a massive public outcry.

The notification of coconut as grass had resulted in massive deforestation as the distillers in the state got a free hand in cutting the trees without getting proper permission from the forest department.

Under the CMP, the coconut is now the state tree of Goa.

However, other core issues like shifting casinos from the Mandavi river, and generating employment opportunities for Goa’s youth, have not received due attention.

“The issue of coconuts had invited the ire of the people. In fact, this was one of the issues which got the kingmaker Goa Forward Party votes,” said Mayabhushan Nagvenkar, another senior journalist from the state.

“Coconuts form the core identity of the locals and the previous government had just gone ahead and snatched it from us. So this was definitely one area wherein this new coalition government had to act and they did that,” he said.

The BJP had initially rejected issues such as amendment to the Tenancy Act and Investment Promotion Board. These are now back on the agenda.

But the Opposition calls the BJP-led coalition directionless.

“Whatever announcements they have made are a repeat of the 2012 election manifesto. Then also Parrikar had said that they will shift the casinos and had given a deadline and the same has been done this term as well. It’s a tactic to fool the people,” said Congress spokesperson Yatish Naik.