In his latest letter to the Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant, BJP leader Savio Rodrigues, has asked the CM as to why is it that the Goa government has decided on a ‘no tendering process’ to be carried out for the allotment of work to a private agency for the renovation of the Kala Academy. Highlighting the issue of corruption rampant in our society, Rodrigues stated how he knew that Dr Sawant was not only a good CM, but also a good human being, and how PM Modi has always shown great trust in him for the development of Goa into an economically and socially vibrant state.
Adding, that it was incumbent on the young leaders of an emerging Goa and India, to fight corruption with a brute force, Savio expressed that being a journalist, he had seen the tireless efforts made by PM Modi to get rid of the rot of corruption plaguing our nation due to poor governance. Mentioning the principles of BJP as a political party, he added that they keep the nation first, the party second, and the self, last, and therefore, Rodrigues has raised the issue regarding the ‘no tendering process’.
“My intent to raise question on the ‘no tendering process’ is not to caste an aspersion on the government or its ministers but to understand the reason behind the omitting of the tendering process to opt for a nomination process when it is clearly stipulated in the guidelines”, the letter further reads.
Rodrigues then added, “Deliberately ignoring the set guidelines opens our government to questions of a biased decision to allot the work to a favoured private agency without any other bidders for the work. This decision sows the seeds of doubt that ‘corruption’ could have been a probability and a possibility”.
It was then mentioned by the BJP Velim leader that the Directorate of Vigilance, regarding this matter, has found out that the PWD has proposed the name of a particular private agency, stating that they have executed the work at Goa Bhavan, Mumbai, but it is however being understood, that the said work is still going on. The letter then emphasises on the fact that the Directorate of Vigilance has directed the Goa government to set up a ‘technical committee’, to evaluate the entire process of the PWD and Art & Culture, including the works of the private agency.
Questioning the statement of the Goa Art & Culture Minister, Govind Gaude, wherein he compared the Kala Academy with the Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan, which supposedly did not require a tendering process, Savio added that it made a mockery of the Indian democratic ethos.
“You and I would agree without a doubt that India is a democratic nation, therefore, comparing Goa to the era of Shah Jahan is to tell the people of Goa, that the government is a ‘Ruler’ and people ‘Subjects’. In our democracy, political leaders are ‘Sevaks of the People’. The thought process of the minister in question is dangerous to the principles of Indian democracy”, opined Rodrigues in his letter to the Goa CM.
At the end, Savio requested CM Dr Sawant to give his assent to the setting up of the ‘technical committee’ and to start the due investigation into the matter.
