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Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPICs)
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer-Goa is planning to publish the new Photo Electoral rolls with the voters’ photographs. In this regard it has announced that some of the Goan electorate will have to photograph themselves again for the Photo Identity Cards. According to reports in newspapers, the photographs taken between the years 1994 to 2000 is not supported by the new database for photo electoral rolls. Nearly 30% of the voters in Goa have to make new cards.
It has been observed that the migrants (ghanttis) are more interested in getting their photos clicked than our Goans which is evident from the long queues outside the Photo clicking centres. And Goans are not to be blamed. The ‘ghanttis’ are paid for their votes by the local politicians in return for their votes. And the amount paid is not less than Rs. 1,000/- per voter who has the Voter’s Card.
Today, Goa is occupied mostly by non-Goans because Goans are more interested in going abroad for jobs. The politics too in Goa is today decided by these ‘ghanttis’ and one may not be surprised if one day a ‘ghantti’ becomes the Chief Minister of Goa. They have already entered our Panchayats and Municipal Councils. And who is responsible for all this? Our very own politicians. And who is to be blamed? Our very own Goans who vote for these selfish politicians.
Narvekar should be sacked
Mr. Dayanand Narvekar is accused of cheating the cricket fans some years ago by printing fake tickets for a cricket match at Fatorda. He was arrested in this case but later released on bail. He, alongwith others has been chargesheeted. It’s a shameful act on the part of Mr. Narvekar who happens to be the Chairman of the Goa Cricket Association and also the Finance Minister in the Goa cabinet.
Some years back, Mr. Narvekar was accused of molesting a female staff (Sunita Haldankar) from the Secretariat when he was the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly. Mr. Ramakant Khalap who was then the Opposition Leader took great mileage from this issue. Mr. Narvekar was forced to resign. The Congress party in Goa is also to be blamed for allowing such persons to contest the elections on its ticket.
It is sad to note that even after 7 years of the said ticket scam, Mr. Narvekar has not yet been punished. The matter is still going on in the court of law. If the Chief Minister had the guts, he would have sacked him from the cabinet as soon as he was chargesheeted.
.... and finally, Mr. Dayanand Narvekar was forced to resign by the Congress High Command to accommodate the Taleigao M.L.A. Mr. Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate in the Digamber Kamat ministry. Mr. Monserrate is allocated the Education, Technical Education and Archives & Archaelogy portfolios.