By Frederick Noronha
IANS
Panaji : Goa's notorious politicians are falling foul of the Election Commission ahead of assembly polls over sops to voters in the form of T-shirts, liquor, money, computers and more.
The autonomous poll panel, determined to hold a free and fair poll June 2, is not sparing anyone seen violating the rules governing elections – and the message is going home.
The politicians are predictably furious, but the Election Commission is winning applause from the people.
Former chief minister Manohar Parrikar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been served a show-cause notice for sending out letters of a scheme he launched offering virtually free computers to college students, who he is now soliciting for votes and support.
One Janata Dal-Secular candidate faces action for failing to produce official documents. And the Election Commission has accused strongman Churchill Alemao's brother Joaquim of preventing officials from video filming candidates using vehicles without permits for campaigning.
One politician is in trouble for deploying machinery to dig bore wells for voters and also for giving away towels and saris.
Several vehicles of the MGP party have been seized – along with those of BJP, the ruling Congress and the Save Goa Front.
Alcohol boxes have been seized in Goa. And officials seized Rs.900,000 of allegedly unaccounted money from leaders of the Janata Dal-Secular party that is led by former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda.
An angry Deve Gowda rushed to Goa to condemn the action and accused the Election Commission officials of misusing their power.
Officials have also inspected the Karapur Agro Factory owned by Vishwajeet Rane, the 'rebel' son of Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane, following a complaint that he was wooing voters by distributing goodies and cash.
The controversy-prone younger Vishwajeet is contesting as an independent from Valpoi, while his father remains a Congressman.
Action has also been taken against politicians displaying banners without permission.
The BJP has complained against Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, saying he has announced sops that would benefit the Congress. The party has urged the poll panel to initiate appropriate measures to prevent what it says are the "unaccounted flow of funds into Goa".
Determined to unseat the Congress, the BJP says it fears that some real estate developers might be pumping funds into the state to support Congress candidates.
Last week, authorities directed the Panaji police to file complaints against Congress candidate Dinar Tarcar and UGDP's 'Babush' Monserrate and Jennifer Monserrate for allegedly distributing T-shirts and caps with their names.
Even the police are not being spared.
Two senior police officials – D.K. Sawant and Raju Rau Dessai – were suspended for not going by Election Commission observers' instructions and booking alleged violators. The action caused ripples in the police.
The Election Commission has ordered the transfer of Director General of Police Ujjwal Mishra and Deputy Superintendent of Police Umesh Gaonkar.
Following the seizure of liquor bottles, wholesalers kept their premises closed for a day last week protesting against what they called was the "high-handedness of Election Commission officials, excise department, commercial taxes department and other government agencies" during campaigning.
Goa's education department has been hauled up for opening new schools and issuing orders for appointment of teachers after the model code of conduct came into force.
South Goa District Election Officer Santosh Vaidya has come out against those using religion and caste in campaigns, and politicians were warned that too many of their photographs in newspapers could be considered as "advertisements".
Congress candidate (Quepem) Babu Kavlekar's wife was caught on charges of giving away money to the voters of Benoda village near Padi.
In another much-debated move, officials blocked a talk by IIT professor Ram Punyani, an anti-communalism campaigner, saying they feared disruption of public tranquility leading to communal disharmony in Goa.
Amid all this, politically instable Goa prepares to pick a new government for the next five years.