Union government’s decision to do away with the red beacons on the cars of VIPs has forced five out of twelve ministers in Manohar Parrikar led cabinet to enjoy this privilege for just one month.

Five ministers including three from Goa Forward Party (GFP) and two independents are the first time ministers, who were sworn in on March 14. They have been going around in their cars mounted with red beacon just little over a month before the union government resolved against it on April 19.

GFP leaders Vijai Sardesai, Jayesh Salgaoncar and Vinod Palyekar are first time ministers along with independents Rohan Khaunte and Govind Gawade.

Interestingly, Sardesai and Khaunte were using their own private cars, refusing to take the vehicle which is assigned by the State government to them.

“I am not fascinated with red beacon. I have even given away my official car and I have been going around in my private vehicle,” Sardesai said, reacting to the union cabinet’s decision.

Within hours of the union cabinet’s decision, Parrikar had asked all his cabinet colleagues to remove the red beacons. The Chief Minister himself was the first one to get it off, when his car was parked at his official residence at Altinho in Panaji.

The prestige of going around in red beacon car also short-lived for two newly inducted ministers – Vishwajit Rane and Mauvin Godinho – both of whom had switched to BJP from the Congress. They were sworn in last week.

Rane, who was a Minister in Digambar Kamat led cabinet between 2007 and 2012 and Godinho, who was deputy speaker, were allotted red beacons on their official cars.

Two more ministers – Pandurang Madkaikar (BJP) and Manohar Asjgaonkar (MGP) – who are in power after a gap of almost half a decade also had their privilege of having red beacon car only for a month. They have enjoyed this facility during their earlier tenures as ministers in Congress-led governments.

MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar and BJP leader Francis D’Souza were ministers in former Laxmikant Parsekar led cabinet and hence had red beacon on their vehicle since last five years and more. Dhavalikar had it for ten years as he was a minister in Kamat led government as well.

Interestingly, leader of the opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, who also enjoys a cabinet status, had his privilege of having red beacon short lived. This was for the first time that he had a red beacon on his official car as in the past he was never a minister.

Team TNV