People are ready for change: Matanhy

An inimitable activist but dubbed as a ‘bunny’ in politics, Matanhy Saldanha, UGDP general secretary lambasts the two MPs for not addressing the woes of the Goan society at the center. In a chat with JULIO D’SILVA, he exudes confidence of making it to the Lok Sabha from South Goa.

GT: Matanhy how do you rate your chances at these elections?
Matanhy Saldanha (MS): These elections are crucial for Goa and the country. For us in Goa, they are crucial, as the state appears to be in a state of chaos. There is no governance as the interest of the people are put aside only to fulfill the vested interest and the quality of life of the common man is worsening due to the lobbyist policies of the government.
The people of Goa are feeling insecure and this is reflected in the various revolts that are taking place be it against the mega-projects, against the highway or against the railway loop.

GT: But if one considers the results of the last elections, your party’s performance was quite poor and it would be a gigantic task to talk about winning the elections.
MS: The circumstances have changed since then. World history tells us that changes have occurred due to circumstances and in Goa the circumstances are ripe for a change. Recent developments, especially in Salcete indicate that people are ready for a change. The very fact that people are reacting is an indicator of the dissatisfaction.

GT: The question is whether the dissatisfaction will convert into votes?
MS: I am confident that this time there will not be emotional voting.

GT: Matanhy, what role would have a regional party have in the Lok Sabha?
MS: Erasmo Sequeira was a representative of a regional party and he was an effective voice in the parliament. The party is not important, what is important is the person’s capacity to study the subject in national interest without compromising the State’s concerns. Although Goa has two MPs in the Lok Sabha, they have failed to put forth the State’s aspirations.

GT: What according to you should have been the role of the MPs?
MS: Irrespective of the political affiliations, the MPs should have acted as co-ordinators between the Centre and the State and address the people’s problems. It is time for us to think of the State’s interest. What has Goa gained from the various central projects? If railways want land, the State government acquires it, but in return are there any jobs reserved for Goans? What benefit has Goa got in terms of job reservation or anything from the Defence undertakings, from NIO and even from MPT? How many Goans are employed in these establishments?

GT: But those are issues of yore, what about today?
MS: What issues pertaining to Goa have been highlighted at the Centre? The basic fault of our past MPs has been that they have failed to highlight the uniqueness of Goa at the centre. Because of the distinct character of Goa, many of the Central laws cannot be made applicable to our state due to which today many of the central schemes cannot be implemented in Goa. There are various examples of this. If our MPs had to act properly then, today the Zilla Panchayats would not have been clamouring for powers. If our MPs had to do their job, the below poverty line schemes could have been provided to Goans. If our MPs had to highlight the plight of the coastal residents the CRZ laws could have been amended for Goa.
Why have our MPs not mooted for changing the Gadgil-Mukherjee formula, which is actually punishing performing States like Goa. Why is it that the Mhadei issue has not been raised in the Parliament? Here let me clarify that the Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik is making some efforts.

GT: So what are the issues at these elections?
MS: Actually even the national issues are the State issues. Security of the nation is an issue in Goa as the terror threat can have an adverse impact on tourism. But the issues concerning Goa also are national issues. The Mhadei river dispute, the railways’ expansion plans, MPT’s jurisdiction that affects the common man and even in the Incredible India campaign of Government of India how Goa has been ignored. These are the issues that make one wonder whether our elected representatives have really been addressing the interest of the people or interest of land?

GT: Matanhy, you are perceived as a very good activist but a poor politician.
MS: It is because our political class has failed us that we are forced to step into the political arena. Today politics has become a business and people’s aspirations and welfare are forgotten.

GT: Elections are today governed with money power, which you apparently lack. So how would you tackle this aspect?
MS: It is true that people have been voting for money. But then, there is a limit for everything, and in Goa, I think this is the limit, as people are today feeling insecure. Demographically, linguistically and culturally the Goan population is feeling threatened and isolated. The terms of minority and majority that were applied to religions earlier have taken a new meaning today with Goans, irrespective of their religious affiliations, fearing that they are turning into a minority in their own land.

GT: There is a perception that you are in the fray to play spoilsport.
MS: Spoil what? If projecting the right demands of the people is spoilsport, so be it. What is politics then, a game of manipulation of, for and by vested interests or is it to put the people’s interest first? These are the questions that people have to ask.

GT: How will the change in your party symbol effect you?
MS: I do admit that the change in the symbol is a little setback. But then the symbol may change, the person has not changed. I am still the same Matanhy who has been fighting for issues pertaining to Goa and Goans. But yes, we have to work a little harder and the people of South Goa have to think a little harder.