I doubt that anyone in Goa, at some time or another or somewhere, has not been touched by the scourge of Corruption and bribery. Bribery is manifestly, an evil Indian disease. It did not exist during the Portuguese regime from what I have researched, gathered and read here on Niz Goenkar.
Bribery , as far as I am concerned,is far worse than the Bubonic Plague, or Aids. It does not choose its subjects or people .It applies to each and every Goan /Indian. The worst offenders of this practice, are the 40 MLA`s that Administer Goa. Each and every Department or Portflio they control is infested with BRIBERY. You name the departments..PWD, Electricty,Licensing,BDO,Panchayats.Mamlatadars, etc etc etc. The Goa Police, the upholders of Law & Order, are not immune from this disease either .They are the worst culprits.
In my estimate,each and every Goan Policeman has at some time or another requested a Bribe.Even the poor, hardworking Omlette gaddas / vendors are not spared from this evil practice.
At Village level, the Panchayats are the embodiment of Bribery.Each and every Panchayat, Panch,Sarpanch, Zilla member has indulged in taking bribes to get you work done.
Majorda, Colva and Benaulim are the ones that I personally know, through various people,that are hotbeds of bribery. But I am sure Niz Goenkar readers will add more to this list, as practised in their localities. If one had to colour the areas of Goa, where Panchyats indulge in bribery, it would colour the whole Map of Goa.
Even the open Seas & Rivers & Ghats, will not be spared of this disease. Even though I disagree with Baba Ramdev`s views on MOI. I applaud his stance on Corruption. Baba Ramdev has a worldwide following, & so he must be able to communicate in a foreign language. Hence my view, that he should not single out English as a detrimental MOI, to attract an audience.
We should all applaud & support Anna Hazare. he has certainly put "the cat amongst the pidgeons".
No Indian Political Party is immune from bribery, However I must state that the Congress Party, is most definetly ,the Leader of the Bribery Rat Pack.One by one each of them are being hauled before the Law Courts.Had all of them been investigated,including the ones loitering in the Legislative Assembly in Porvorim, Goa, New high security prisons would have to be built to hosue them all.
Their notriety has spread around the World.The 2G scam, The Olympic scam, the Bofors scam,Cricket scams etc. It may be some time, IF EVER, that we will rid India and for me in particular or more especially "My Goa" of this Bribery scourge.
Hence I hope this website will go someway to provide a remedy from this evil Indian disease:
19 comments:
Bribery existed in different forms since medieval ages and Portuguese cannot escape this axis of evil. Bribe is not considered as cash or money only. It can be equivalent to even a piece of stone, meal dishes, fish etc or in Goa it's termed "Sagvad". The Goan priests, Hindu and Christians landlords still accept this "sagvad" until this day.The Sagvad is still in existence where by the mundkhar (tenant) gives it to a bhatkar (landlord). So let us not glorify Portuguese colony to sainthood for anti bribery.
Bribery and Corruption is symptom of the disease that has afflicted Goan/Indian society. It is not that bribe is always extracted from citizens. Often respected Goans want to commit some illegality and they appreciate a corrupt officer, so that by paying a bribe they can commit the illegality. I have seen that very often honest candidate's are not elected to local bodies, because they will not allow violation of law. The person spearheading Colva civic forum and working tirelessly was not elected when she contested for the post of a panch in the Colva Panchayat. When you speak to fellow goans and impress upon them not to elect for corrupt candidates they just say that the candidate has helped me and done my work so I will vote for him. It is this selfish attitude that has resulted in we being in such a horrible situation.
You describe an ancient practice called "tokenism".However you fail to distinguish between a token gift (given to get your work done) and a bribe that is forcibly & tactically demanded.
The Sagvad you describe is a Private arrangement between 2 individuals, subsequently "customised".The term you must be stating is what we call "Buttering up", or applying butter to get something done.( i will stand corrected oin this)
I very much doubt, one could or did, bribe the Portuguese Government establishments, as it is practised in India / Goa today.
The sagvad you describe perhaps only exists in very rural areas.
Many mundkars are now rightfully owners of the land around their homes.This was brought about by the Mundkar act. Landlords no longer have any rights over mundkars that have purchased their land from their Landlords.
The scale of bribery is vast.It impacts on each and every one.It is practised by all Government Departments / officials.
I have said this before and I say it again its really sad Goan society has become such ' that where money talks bullshit walks " This has become so because our opinion leaders or opinion makers mainly our priests and elders and so called leaders or elected representatives have failed in their duties to inculcate the true traditional Goan values of honesty, perserverance and hard work !!! These values have been sacrificed at the altar of short term gains !!! We goan have cultivated a a new trend of ' keeping up with the Jones " We will go to any ends to satisfy our greed and unlimited wants and will do so throwing all caution to the winds !! Its Me and Me alone !!! As they would say in French "apres mi deluge " after me comes the deluge !!! But let me tell you from my personal experience honesty pays in the long run, these were the wise words of my father and I will stick to it come what may !!!!
Good you mentioned Electricity Department. Yes it is highly corrupt. Power Minister himself is a gambler seen at all casinos in Goa, Macau and elsewhere. His Engineers are as incompetent as him and one example is Santosh Lolienkar at ED Margao. Santosh Lolienkar is one chap who is like his boss, corrupt, arrogant and can do anything if he get a chance to lick boots. To do what does not fit in the law, you can trust him for a price.
I am one of the affected person by the acts of this corrupt Santosh Lolienkar and in my opinion, he is not fit to occupy the positon of JE with his arrogancy and poor behaviour.
Of Portuguese era, many of the landlords accomplished lands by bribing "Capitao". These lands actually belonged to the poor people of Goa acquired by force by the Portuguese .After 1961, overnight some became Bhatkars. The church which had huge chunks of lands began selling these lands through their priests.The priests prior to 1961 were selling lands illegally by accepting bribes in either cash or gold.
Moreover one must remember "Media either in print or voice" was banned by Portuguese dictators and so the facts of bribery remains under the chests of those monsters.Public was kept illeterate to a highest level and only their loyal Goan Capitao families given the privilege to either loot are root the general public of Goa.
After getting my bike blessed by our local i gave him fifty rupees.
i want to know the opinion of the readers on what is this whether this is OK. or not
i am eagerly waiting for your opinion
afedupgoan
Dear Niz Goenkar,
Thank you for mentioning ipaidabribe.com in your article. Our initiative mainly aims to provide a platform for citizens to report their instances of bribe paying, not paying and their experiences with honest officials. With the data collected, we aim to work with the government to bring about a systemic change. While ipaidabribe.com supports Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, we choose to have a moderate stand on their respective stands and strongly believe that it is only with a systemic change that we can aim to have a corruption-free country.Regards,ipaidabribe.com team
http://ipaidabribe.com/
I fully agree with you.I am also aware, a kind of "favouritism" for a corrupt person, is practised quite widely, in other Panchyats too.
The sooner more people are caught in the act,prosecuted and jailed, the better it will be for ordinary people.
I have been told, just to get something sanctioned like an "NOC" or a request for a Birth / Death Certificate etc, people are made to sing & dance just to get it.Much of the bribery is instigated deliberately by officials in cahoots with their seniors and MLA`s, by delaying a request.This, I am told, then makes the applicant run here and there & everywhere to have his simple request fulfilled.IN frustration he just gives up and succumbs to paying a bribe.
I have seen with my own, when I was in Goa about 2 years ago, when a friend, a builder, paid over RS 1.5lakhs to the Colva Panchayat & BDO to get an NOC.He carried this amount in cash , in his back pocket.The BDO just kepy on inventing new rules about the NOC.
Another friend of mine from the UK paid RS 14,000/= to the Majorda Panchayat to get a access road approved, to make his porperty saleable.He was told the RS14000/= was for the BDO officer to approve the job.If he didn1tpay, he would have to wait weeks or months.
Lets hope the Government at some stage, through the implementation of the Lokpal Bill , will apply proper procedures to overcome this menace.
I am sure many Goans hate this practice of bribery.It is even worse when it is for something as simple as requesting a Birth Certificate.
To fedupgoan:If you gave the Rs50 willingly, thats fine.If it was rewquested by the Padre,that is objectionable.
I wonder how much GOD will get out of this?
A Priest ,should therotically and practically, not charge a fee to bless your bike.But I am aware these days, Priests too have become greedy.
The vows they take seem to be pointless.
I can understand a charge / fee for the Church to conduct some of its services like wine,candles,flowers,Hosts,cleaners etc.
But paying a fee for the services of a PADRE, is commercialisation of his Holy Orders.
Strangely many of the Church accutrements , like Fans, Benches,A/c, etc are contributed by the Parishoneers.
These days Priests too, are given luxury cars.I have no issue or problem with this; except if it comes from a well known corrupt individual or MLA, who has financed from stolen or looted money, than I think it is shameful.
I
Once again I politely beg to differ from you.
I get the impression we are not singing from the same HYMN SHEET.
I doubt Bribes were paid,during the Portuguese era, for the most basic & elementary services like , Birth & Death Certificates, A place in a School, a Vehicle licence, a driving licence,a Bus Licence ,permission to construct a house/ hut, licences for a shop & others.
Electricity & running mains water,gas, which were not available , to the masses,during the the Portuguese era now have a price (bribe) under the Indian regime.There may be other services too,which I am presently unaware of.
I am yet to hear, from the common man, about brbes during the Portuguese era on such a large scale ,and, most specially on the most basic amenities of human needs,as that which exists in Goa and India today.
Giving a "TIP" for services rendered (like a restaurant / hotel) should not be reated as a bribe.
The routes of Mumbai- Goa Highway. still remains a mystery as the shepherd who showed the path to the invaders was assured bribe for the route and later killed. Until this day the bribe remains unpaid!
Bribery is a disease that has been brought in By the Indians which had been Knitted in their blood. This disease is effecting mainly the poor sector of Goans whose bank balance is well below Zero. Many Poor have to sell or pond their jewelery to obtain money for bribes. It is easier for Non-Goans to obtain false Goan name birth certificates but it is harder for Goans to obtain there genuine ones unless paid bribes.
afedupgoan
satubab i know this santosh lolienkar he comes from Loliem Canacona
why can't we trap him or people like him
Case ongoing against this corrupt and biased officer, he is only buying time.
"BUYING TIME"...this is another scourge, practised by crooked Advocates and the Goa Police & blessed by the MLA`s.
"BUYING TIME" allows evidence to be "watered down" or do a vanishing / disappearing act.
Strangely I admire TERMITES. They do not buy time.They just do their jobs in no time at all !!! & move on to the next project.They do not collect bribes on the way either.
All this bribery system was started on a large scale by the crook Dayanand Narvekar. Narvekar also was the first person to sell the government jobs which otherwise are free of charge to be given to the deserving candidates. Goa police from constable to Director General of Police are taking bribes. To become a constable one has to pay 1.5 lakh rupees so just imagine the upper status of police department. We Goans have one man to thank for all this and that man is the CHOR DAYANAND NARVEKAR.
Hi Shyam:::
Dynand Narverkar is just another "classsic" Gioan crook.
He still advertises himself as Minister of Information & Technology.This is mis-leading & a mis-representation for personal gain.
Being an Advocate, he should have known or should know this.:
http://www.dnarvekar.com/dayanand-narvekar-profile.html
This is another Corrupt MInister that has been invited to the Gulf as a Chief Guest, by Organisers there.
Seems like the Organisations in the Gulf have great difficulty finding decent, respectable and Honourable Guests for their functions.May be lack of education and their upbringing is to be blamed for this.
Their parents must have told them or imparted a MOTTO: "To be a crook,you must know a crook"
I do agree with Mr. Shyam Sawant, as he has spoken very clearly on the topic. Mr. Fernandes we have seen a lot of such thing and specially my father had to bribe all the way to get his original documents when he applied for Portuguese passport and nationality. All those working in passport office were rude speciall one JUDE who works in the passport department took Rs3000 as bribe to get the names corrected on his passport. But when we applied here in UK for Portuguese passport all of us got so easily and without any bribe. I am proud that we are Goan Portuguese citizens
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