RAJENDRA ARLEKAR WILL REPLACE PRAMOD SAWANT?

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RAJENDRA ARLEKAR WILL REPLACE PRAMOD SAWANT?

AND a few stray thoughts for yet another Saturday. For a Saturday following the week when persistent rumors that Pramod Sawant is being kicked upstairs to the central government. For a Saturday following the week when the long-awaited drive to the Wildernest Resort at the Chorla Ghat, which turned into a nightmare. For a Saturday following the week when the digital tyranny to all senior citizens had to go through. For a Saturday following the week when my personal choice for the next Prime Minister of India would be Neha Bohra.

NEW CM?
AND a few stray thoughts on when persistent rumors that Pramod Sawant is being kicked upstairs to the central government. In the last few days, Pramod Sawant himself has declared that he would be happy to accept any assignment that the party may offer him in Delhi. Unfortunately, the only post he is qualified for is that of the chaprasi (peon) of Amit Shah and Modi. Pramod Sawant has been busy trying to grandstand both Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Amit Shah ordered the shutdown of Jantar Mantar. Indeed the Delhi government declared that Jantar Mantar had been removed from the list of venues where peaceful public protest could be held.
The brainless Pramod Sawant promptly decided that he would shut down Azad Maidan which is been designated as a place for public protest by the district collector as far as on December 19, 2019. Unlike Jantar Mantar Pramod Sawant who is an Ayurveda doctor and does not know history is not aware that Azad Maidan is homage to the freedom fighters who liberated Goa. When the Cockroach Janata Party organized the protest at Azad Maidan, all the gates of the maidan were locked. Hundreds of police surrounded the entire Azad Maidan. This compelled the former chief justice of the Allahabad High Court judge Ferdino Rebello to challenge the police officer on the refusal of permission to hold the peaceful rally at the Azad Maidan.
The seven volunteers, including Jack Sukija and Amreen Shaikh who managed to get into the Azad Maidan were arrested very roughly and were pushed into a police van. The seven protestors who were reportedly tortured all the way to Pernem police station were detained. The senior advocate Norma Alvaris along with Melesa Semoes moved the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court which ordered their immediate release from the Pernem police station. The Court also ordered the chief medical office to conduct the medical examination of the victims. There is no need for Vishwajit Rane to burst the crackers hoping the he will become the next chief minister. We understand that the present Tamil Nadu government Rajendra Arlekar will be the new governor of Goa.

DREAM TURNED INTO NIGHTMARE
AND a few stray thoughts on when long-awaited drive to the Wildernest Resort at the Chorla Ghat, which turned into a nightmare. To begin with it is a very rough and bumpy ride over the dozens of bridges which we have to cross to reach our destination. It occurred to me that the new bridges are atleast not as ugly as the old bridges. Not surprisingly, the brightest and the most prosperous city on the route is the chief minister’s constituency Sanquelim. It even has a fancy restaurant which is called Silver Spoon.
Clearly, Sanquelim has benefited a great deal since Pramod Sawant became the chief minister. The saffron brigade is very active now that Navratri has started. The rules on amplified song after 10 pm do not apply to temples and garba dances. We do not know whether it is part of the double tracking, but on the way he had waited there for a long time as an extra railway crossing is being built.
Finally, when we reached Wildernest, we discovered that it had now acquired a lift which has replaced the bullock cart. The lift must be at least 50 years old, as I felt nervous going up the hill. On top of the hill, I was told I would have to climb 40 steps to the room. I decided to come down to Swapnagandha Resort which is in the valley and meant for senior citizen. The passage was not smooth and have to walk 100 meters over big pebbles to reach my room. The room was magnificent, as the side facing the valley was transparent. I could see two or three silvery waterfalls. I would look at the majesty of the mountain pick in the distance. I then look down and saw that the balcony on which is was standing made out of logs had a number of polls. There was no place to hold out I went to the washroom and there was no railings.
We had dinner at the restaurant attached to the resort. I had to walk 40 steps. What I was most shock about was that the local women who worked were paid such miserable salaries. Of course I am glad that women of all ages from Chorla, which is the hilly area where jobs are hard to get are being employed as waiters and housekeeping staff. They are paid Rs320 per day for a 12-hour workday without any days off. If they don’t work they don’t get paid. This is much less than the minimum wages prescribed by the government of Goa for hotels and restaurants. Wildernest and Swapnagandha are not cheap. They are over booked throughout the year. They are making money. There are two infinity pools but no lifeguard. My last wish to say goodbye to Wildernest turned out to be a nightmare. Thankyou captain Dhond for the complimentary stay but I do not think that Wildernest and Swapnagandha are safe any longer, and certainly not for senior citizens.

DIGITAL TYRANNY
AND a few stray thoughts on when the digital tyranny to all senior citizens had to go through. At 80 I belong to a generation which went to the local bank and presented my cheque to the cashier who was imprisoned behind the cage. Very often I had to wait in a queque. Then I went to another counter to get my pass book update. I didn’t have to stand before a printing machine and get my passbook updated myself. For over a decade now I have never had an opportunity to visit a bank. It is all digital.
Mercifully, I am not yet enrolled in an online banking facility. But there is Google Pay, Phonepe, Paytm, etc all of which are controlled by an American company called Universal Pay. Which charges you 0.04% on every transaction. In the old days, I went to the post office. I bought postcards, inland letters, and envelopes. There were even competition to postcards. Now ofcourse all messages I have send on Whatsapp or email. All parcels come from Amazon and Myntra. In the old days I used to go to the block-level officer and register myself as a voter. I used to inform them as a change of address by filling Form 8.
Now I can’t do it because the new software designed by TCS does not accept Form 8. The new Election Commission software can delete but not include names. I want to migrate to a tribal village where they only be cashed and no digital media of any sought.

NEW PM CHOICE
AND a last stray thoughts on when my personal choice for the next Prime Minister of India would be Neha Bohra. Neha Bohra is a 27-year-old PHD student at Jawaharlala Nehru University. She is young extremely well read and articulate. She can speak English and Hindi equally fluently. She is good offline and online. She is secular and does not set up nafrat ki dukaan. She is best person to lead Goa from the darkness of the moody Modi raj.