We admit! We definitely admit that while diagnosing performance of Manohar Parrikar-led government for last 100 days we carry some pre-notions. There is a notion that Parrikar is a master executor. He has a vision for the state of Goa. He is one of the best Chief Ministers we had.
And mind you when we make all these statements, we are not mouthpiece of BJP but a magazine with a neutral view.
While designing this supplement, the reporters of ‘The Neutral View’ travelled and met diverse people across the state, cutting across political lines. The sole aim of this entire exercise was to know how exactly Parrikar-led government has kick started its long journey of five years. Whether the start is in right direction or it has lost the direction in the beginning itself.
We are not experts in all the fields. So we engaged ourselves with the people from various fields who volunteered to analyse the performance of Parrikar’s 100 days. Their own perspective will reflect in their writings. We won’t say that they are 100 percent right! But certainly, they are almost accurate.
The formation of Parrikar-led government itself was mired in the controversy as Vijai Sardesai who had contested election against the BJP supported it. For Congressmen that came as a rude shock.
But that’s past and it is pointless to discuss what happened then. We have moved on from there.
When we decided to have a special supplement for 100 days of Manohar Parrikar-led government, we were not sure. Are 100 days enough to judge the performance of any government or should we wait for more time?
Hundred days means just over three months. How much time does it take for any government to stabilise? How much time is required to actually start working for the welfare of the state?
I was talking to one of the senior political science lecturer to know the science of politics. The basic requirement of governance, he told me, was that it should not require much time to start working for the welfare of the people. It all depends on your interest towards the work and the pace at which you feel like starting up.
When we analyse the work of Manohar Parrikar, it is always compared with his past performance. Without any doubt, we can say that he has been a successful Chief Minister during his earlier tenures.
The hopes were high from him during 2012 when he propelled his party to the position of the single largest unit in the state Legislative Assembly.
The short tenure of Manohar Parrikar was remembered during entire five years. Laxmikant Parsekar did try to fit in the shoes of Parrikar but failed miserably. The results of 2017 Assembly elections were referendum on the performance of Parsekar. The pulse of Goa which Parrikar had understood, Parsekar and his team didn’t. Moreover, we can blame the Ministers in his cabinet for failing to fulfil aspirations of the people.

That was past, we can say immediate past. But while evaluating the performance of the present government for last 100 days, we will have to go into the flashback of the times when Parrikar ruled Goa then.
It was a different feeling for everyone that Chief Minister with a vision was ruling the state. The kind of foresight he nurtured and brought in development was historical. Right from bridges to the smallest of the aspects of the state, Parrikar had first-hand information about everything. That made him the best Chief Minister.
So when he took up the reigns of the state in 2017, the expectations are high. They are higher because he has worked as the Defence Minister of the country and also has good connections in Delhi. This ‘good connections’ always work.
But we have to also see the difficulties that he has been going through. People never gave mandate to BJP. Parrikar is not the MLA. So first, he has to constantly remember that BJP is running a coalition government. Secondly, he has to face the by-polls.
This is a tough task as he can’t take all the harsh decisions. Any decision or statement that he makes, he will have to think twice as it may affect his poll prospects.
All the politicians, except Parrikar and Vishwajit Rane, have moved on from the election mode. But these two are still waiting for their verdict. So they have to be politically correct always.
Parrikar has a multiple task. He has to be politically correct and also economically correct. So when we analyse his performance for last 100 days we also have to consider this liability that he is shouldering.
The performance of the government cannot be judged only based on what Chief Minister has done for the state. It is a team work. So when we dissect last 100 days, we have to also see the performance of novice Ministers like Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte, Vinod Palyekar, Jayesh Salgaoncar, Govind Gaude, who are first timers.
Also, Ministers like Manohar Ajgaonkar, Pandurang Madkaikar, Mauvin Godinho were out of power for years.
All this collectively will make the real report card of Manohar Parrikar-led and Vijai Sardesai supported government.
While compiling this supplement, we have taken all the precautions to make it unbiased. Views of the writers are not our views. As our label says ‘we are neutral’. Neutral means true. And what we represent is what the people feel.
We are not making any statement on the ability of the government to perform. We have no right to make such a statement because it is the people who have elected these representatives to govern.
The cover story which we have worked on has been done meticulously after speaking to the political experts, journalists, social workers and people on the street.
We are trying to reflect aspirations of the people through our magazine. We did try to speak to Parrikar and get his appointment for interview but he was pre-occupied, so could not spare time. May be next issue we will get his reaction and speak in detail about his plans for Goa.

Let me tell our readers that our efforts to compile this special supplement is keeping in mind the welfare of the state. As the fourth estate, we thought it is our duty to let Parrikar, his colleagues, people in opposition, people supporting government and those who are sitting on the fence revisit last 100 days. Because based on these 100 days we will have to chart out our path for future.
Goemkarponn should not be only a word that can be used systematically to defend the issue but in coming days let that word be the guiding force for the state. Jai Goem!

Team TNV