My opponent represents all that we are fighting against, voters’ conscience will decide this election: Viriato

Navy veteran, war hero, activist and now a politician. Capt Viriato Fernandes has seen enough battles in his life, as he embarks on another one with little experience but a big ambition. “There has to be a revolution, time has come for the second liberation of Goa,” he tells Team TOI. Edited excerpts from Townhall With TOI

Congress is perceived to be in a mess at the moment. So, what made you contest Lok Sabha elections?
Following the defection of eight MLAs, a determined effort was initiated with (GPCC president) Amit Patkar to fight back. We together laid the foundation for a strong comeback strategy. For the first time in the history of Goa Congress, a strong structured organisation has emerged. It was said we can have at least 3,500-odd committed voters in every constituency. We connected with them and converted them from voters to members. Today, we have bare minimum five trained people at each booth. Looking back, I think the defection was the best thing that happened to Congress. Otherwise, it would have been the same thing: Buying tickets, then backstabbing. The garbage is gone.

BJP has fielded a woman candidate for the South Goa seat. How do you see Pallavi Dempo as your opponent?
With due respect, I welcome her in the battlefield, but was there no candidate worthy to be nominated for South Goa from BJP cadre? What about the leaders who have been with BJP for 20-30 years? Is this a party with a difference? I outrightly reject her candidature. She is not fit to be the candidate. For the past seven years, I have been fighting to save Goa, not as Capt Viriato Fernandes, but as a citizen of Goa. My political opponent represents all that we are fighting against. Look at the electoral bonds. PM Narendra Modi says electoral bonds are good, does my political opponent endorse his views? The Dempo group had also bought electoral bonds and there was a raid before that on their company. So, was it the arm-twisting that they were made to buy the electoral bonds?

Dempo also donated to Congress. Did your party also arm-twist Dempos to get donations?
We know who arm-twisted whom, and you have to know the intentions of this govt. Electoral bonds is the biggest scam in the history of the country. You are taking a chunk and giving some peanuts, probably to ensure that those who got small donations don’t make noise.

Do you think you have an easy battle in the May 7 polls?
No, we don’t take anything easy because we know that there is big money and muscle power, so it’s the people’s war against money power. It is with conscience that each voter is going to decide the fate of this election.

Revolutionary Goans has also taken a plunge. Do you consider Rubert Pereira a threat?
It is a straight battle between Congress and BJP. We have not seen RG’s presence anywhere. In Salcete, a lot of money is being poured in by BJP. That money is going to go down the drain.

Is there polarisation happening?
No. They tried, but the response shows that people are not falling prey to all these tactics.

What will be the key issues that you will concentrate on while going to the electorate?
Employment is one of the issues. In BJP’s rule, you have to pay Rs 30-40 lakh bribe to ministers for a job. If a person pays bribes, the vicious cycle of corruption continues. Transport is one area where there is a big void.

What could be the concrete solution for Goa’s transport problem?
We have to improve the transport system by investing in pollution-free vehicles. You can use the waterways too. Goa govt built a solar-powered ferry boat and it has become a white elephant, lying unutilised. Who received the kickbacks? Why did the boat never sail? It’s high time Goans question the crooks in power for causing loss to the public exchequer.

Why should the electorate choose you over other candidates?I stand for all that people want, something that will save Goa for the future generation. Today, the voices have died down, it has been shut.

You have been an activist and now a politician. What is the difference you see in an activist and politician?
If you come into politics and make it a career, the children also follow, so politics becomes a career. I have quit my career to come into politics. I never thought that I would end up in politics; it was a choice which I consciously made thinking the fight to save Goa can be taken on a higher platform.


Did the delay in announcing candidates create a negative perception among supporters?
They were getting worried. The fear was that the anger of the people, because of the delay, may go in a direction where we won’t be able to even go to them. But, like leader of opposition Yuri Alemao said, the delay, anxiety, and the abuses on social media, could also mean that people want the Congress candidate and turn into a positive wave. That is exactly what has happened.


How do you see your chances of winning this election when most of the MLAs in South Goa belong to BJP?
It’s like Mahabharata: Five Pandavas defeated the Kauravas. Five Pandavas in South Goa—Yuri Alemao, Altone D’Costa, Venzy Viegas, Cruz Silva and Vijai Sardesai—are enough. BJP is terrified. They are coming at night with bags of money. People will come out to vote on May 7.

The people fear that the Constitution is being changed and that the future of their children is in danger. There will be silent voting. We have reached the state where it’s now or never. This is where a revolution has to happen. Time has come for the second liberation of Goa. We have to liberate Goa from the vices of rape, murders, unemployment…everything.