Note to Goa's Members of Parliament in Delhi

Bharatiya Janata Party funding from Goa Mining Companies during 2007-2008

V M Salgaonkar & Bros Pvt Ltd: Rs 72 Lakhs

VS Dempo and Co. Pvt Ltd, Goa: Rs 62.5 Lakhs

Chowgule Charitable Trust, Goa: Rs 60 Lakhs

Congress Party funding from Goa Mining Companies during 2007-2008

VM Salgaonkar & Bros Pvt Ltd: Rs 72.5 Lakhs

Chowgule Charitable Trust: Rs 72.5 Lakhs

Sesa Goa Ltd, Goa: Rs 27.5 Lakhs

VS Dempo and Co. Pvt Ltd, Goa: Rs 12.5 Lakhs

Dempo Mining Corporation: Rs 10 Lakhs

Above data is sourced from
http://www.travelindia-guide.com/elections-indian-lok-sabha/political-funding.php

So, one who pays the bagpiper calls the tune. It is now explainable as to why Goa's all the three Members of Parliaments are sitting quietly even while Goa continues to be ravaged by nefarious mining industry. They are busy sucking their left hand thumb and deriving intense pleasure out their sojourn. Well done Fransisco Sardinha! Well done Shripad Naik! Well done Shantaram Naik! Enjoy your thumb sucking till the end of your tenure in the Parliament. After all Goa's mining companies has been your Parties financial lifeline - Amongst top ten funders. Never mind about everything. Your slumber in the midst of eco-cide of Goa's villages and Forest cover is truly legendary. Keep it up boys! Keep believing yourselves that you'll are still in 8th standard and need to be monitored all the while! kudos to you'll. It is so surprising that even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admits that Environmental Clearances in Ministry of Environment and Forest has become major hotbed of corruption and three of you'll continue to suck your thumbs!

Please get up and speak up! Please ask publicly Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to cancel all the mining Environmental Clearances in Goa. Please remember, your parties may be funded by mining companies from Goa but remember survival Goa, its rich sources of fresh water and pristine nature is a priority over petty issue closer to your hearts - Funding by mining companies to your respective Political Parties. And if you'll fail to speak up now then please resign from your post and stop being burden on public exchequer. If you'll don't commit intelligently to stop this monstrous industry from reigning free hand then every thing else you'll do is null and void.

Please learn some lessons from Goa's Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who in spite of everything including his son-in-law in mining business did took delegation to Delhi few days back and raised the issue. Please over took that his team was full of ignorant chaps and performed badly by asking Central government to curb illegal mining when State government is legally authorised to do it itself! Digambar Kamat's delegation made complete fool of themselves. But still they deserve encouragement for making that effort and taking initiative at least!

Please also take take lessons from all the MLAs - including Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar in Goa Legislative Assembly - spoke up questioning mining industry. Though there was no cutting edge into their arguments yet it deserves appreciation. Mine operator and Sanvordem MLA Anil Salgaonkar was at least pushed on the back foot forced to lie on the floor of the Assembly that none of the mining rejects are flowing into any of the rivers and their tributaries in Goa! What all of them missed to question is nefarious role of Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao in mining belt. Manohar Parrikar appears to have studied pact with Alemaos as a Political Strategy that is bound to back fire on his if he continues to move along this line. All of them also missed to demand that all the mines in Goa that are not in operation for more than two years; leases be cancelled. They made lots of noise to gains publicity - that is also very good by the way! But the ground situation continues to worsen with every passing day and Goa MLAs are at least began to assert ownership of their tongues. I wish them all success and power! Please do not stop there. You'll have to go further. Please probe mining industry further and further assert ownership over your tongues. It will help you'll to regain you respect and dignity. You'll as a politicians are living with public money and if you'll don't perform to your best and in the best interest of the people of Goa then history will record you'll as betrayers and Universe will treat you'll accordingly. Remember every time you'll cheat public you'll first cheat yourselves. You'll have taken immense responsibility to do public good and please stay on your track in spite of destruction from lure of the mining industry. And you MLA Victoria Fernandes, please get your family out of mining business. It is undoing all the good that you have done all your life. It is my humble request as well as a prayer. Overall Goa MLAs are waking up and it is good sign. We wish them all the courage to be honest and bold.

Goa's Members of Parliament please wake up! Goa is watching your every move. Please realize your power and realize your politics. Please acknowledge your funders, please understand plight of People of Goa. Mining is a catastrophe that has already struck and you'll need to play your most responsible role possible. Remember we will never be tired of reminding you again and again if all three of you'll still believe you'll are thumb sucking babies. Please mature, please grow up, please rise up to the occasion!

Be Political! Be Decisive! Be Transparent!

Sebastian Rodrigues