The archbishop of Goa’s influential Roman Catholic Church has hinted at rampant corruption in poll-bound Goa, while also adding that it would be issuing guidelines to voters to cast ballot in favour of good candidates.
In his annual civic reception held at the Bishop’s House in Panaji, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, who acts as the religious and spiritual head of more than a quarter of the State’s 1.5 million population, has also accused the Central Government of excluding the Church during the formulation of the National Education Policy draft.
“It is for this and other reasons that the Church takes upon herself, all in the name of genuine service to human beings and to the land, the task of guiding her members in the process of electing the right kind of individuals to the local and national Government,” Ferrao said at the function, which was attended by top business and political personalities, including Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“Elections to the legislative Assembly of the State are approaching and the Church leadership in Goa will take up once again this duty bound task. We do issue guidelines to our faithful on how to exercise their franchise and thus fulfil one of their sacred civic duties. These guidelines are read out in our churches, but they never mention the name of any candidate or any political party. The people are sovereign, they decide,” Ferrao also said.
The arch-bishop also said that the State Government should follow the Supreme Court-endorsed principle of inter-generational equity vis a vis the mining industry in the State. Rampant corruption had weakened governance and the social fabric, he hinted.
“But what we see is an extensive environmental and social damage to Goa, which has generated rampant corruption and even weakened governance. It has been an assault on our community and our natural wealth. More distressingly, it has been a loss to our children and future generations. Are we not answerable to themIJ Or are they going to remember us as an irresponsible generation that has squandered natural wealth for the benefit of a fewIJ” Ferrao said.
He also questioned the exclusion of the Church, as a stakeholder in the education sector, during the formulation of the National Education Policy, claiming the institution was being viewed with suspicion from certain quarters.
“The Proposed Draft of the New Education Policy has been brought out recently, but such a recognized stakeholder as the Church has not been taken into confidence at all. There are elements today who accuse the Church in India of engaging in proselytization and conversions,” he said.
“Our charitable works are looked upon with suspicion and as an allurement for conversion. The Church has often been accused of being of foreign origin, although it has gifted the nation with some of the finest high-ranking defenceand administrative personnel, who have defended our country and served it with exemplary patriotism and dedication,” Ferrao also said, adding that Church institutions were being attacked, robbed, burnt down and the perpetrators going go scot-free.