Whole Govt. can run on casinos : Churchill

Sandesh Prabhudesai
13 September 1996 

Churchill Braz Alemao. A decade ago, the name was identified with a fighter, a gangster, a smuggler and even an anti-national. Today, he is the hero of the people, a man of word, a reliable politician and a political saviour of Goa. What made the people change their mind ? Is it Churchill's Robin Hood image or incompetency of other politicians ? It's still a mystery.

He was known to be the best fisherman. His love for football is incredible. His football teams - Churchill Brothers and Varca Sports Club - are one of the toughest. Equally he takes keen interest in dhirio, Goa's traditional bull fights. His generosity doesn't send anybody empty - handed from his Varca residence. He is believed to be having more concern for the needy and downtrodden than the so called decent politicians.

His name figures prominently in the union home ministry's black list of smugglers. There is no big occasion in the state, the customs officers believe, when Churchill has not landed contraband, taking advantage of the situation that the police force is busy in maintaining law and order for the VIPs. His brother Alvernaz got killed at the hands of a customs officer, allegedly while carrying smuggled gold from the beach, the day his friends and relatives were preparing to attend his youngest brother Kennedy's wedding.

He got a state-wide image as a "social worker" in 1986, during the agitation to make Konkani the official language, when he fearlessly led the masses for all sorts of violence. This gave a break to this 46-year old and 6.5 ft hefty man in politics in 1989. He defeated another alleged smuggler, former Congress minister Francisco Monte Cruz, and became the MLA.

Within 75 days, he toppled Pratapsing Rane's Congress government, to form a coalition with the opposition - the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) - in 1990. He became Goa's first Catholic chief minister, but stepped down within 15 days, keeping his word. All his colleagues were readmitted into the Congress after the coalition experiment failed within eight months, but not Churchill. He then formed a new regional outfit - the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) - winning only three seats, but snatching away Congress' traditional votes of lower caste Catholics.

During this, he was even detained under COFEPOSA along with his brother in the gold smuggling case, in which his another brother was killed. But, surprisingly, it had no effect on the electorate. They got him elected as the South Goa MP, giving him lead over former union minister Eduardo Faleiro, practically in every Assembly segment. Goa may be known for its communal harmony. But the politics here has been clearly divided on religious grounds. Churchill is perhaps the first Catholic leader who has successfully made a breakthrough in the Hindu bastions. As the MP, he is now spreading his wings very fast in the MGP-dominated Hindu pockets.

His close links with the five star lobby is also not a secret. Sandesh Prabhudesai met him at Goa Renaissance, owned by Ramada Group of Hotel, when he was busy forming the UGDP-dominated council at the recently held Ponda municipal elections. Excerpts.

No doubt you have created a history in Goan politics by defeating five-term Congress MP Eduardo Faleiro, a former union minister, by over 25,000 votes. Your election campaign was also worth remembering the way you pulled crowds even in the Hindu-dominated constituencies of South Goa. What's the secret of it ? Is it your life history you were portraying emotionally or the impression you are carrying that 'Churchill is a man of word' ?

The man-of-the-word image has definitely helped me. People trust me. They know I stepped down as the chief minister within 15 days, keeping my word. No other politician has done it. They know I have no lust for power. I want power to serve the downtrodden, not to meet my selfish ends. Their experience with other candidates was contrary to this. That's the reason I got a lead in Congress as well as MGP constituencies.

But the traditional MGP voters, mostly Hindus, had branded you as an anti-national at one time because of your smuggling activities. Why do you think the same people have now posed faith in you ? Is the hawala scandal, which created an impression that smugglers are far better than these racketeers, helped you ?

Who told you I am a smuggler ? Have I been convicted any time for smuggling activities ? It's a clear-cut political conspiracy. They knew Churchill's mobilising power and sincerity. That's why they tried to mislead the people by branding me as a smuggler. They even put me behind the bars. But they didn't succeed. No hawala-gawala has benefited me. The truth has prevailed.

If this is not the truth, then why you had to emotionally blackmail the voters by telling tall stories of your life history ?

See, these are not tall stories. It's a bitter truth the way I lived and came up. I have no regrets to be a dropout at the age of 16. We were six brothers and I am the eldest. To fight the poverty-stricken conditions, I started washing utensils at one village-based tea shop. Then I joined Goa Shipyard Ltd as a casual labour, on a daily wage of Rs 5. The technicians used to stand on me, sometimes for hours together, using me as a ladder.

Then I went to Bombay in 1966, working as a helper for parties held in five star hotels, including the Taj Resorts. I even worked as a welder in a mill, earning Rs 1000 per month. But I had to rush back to Goa as the mill work made me critically ill. I then boarded a ship as a sailor, starting with a monthly salary of Rs 250. I worked there for 15 years, with which I then bought my first fishing trawler. It brought me fortunes. Telling this to the people helps them in coming closer to me.

Goa's chief minister Pratapsing Rane says no criminal, including a smuggler, should be allowed to contest elections. It's obvious he is hinting at you. What is your opinion ?

This is the usual trick of Congressmen. Call others criminals and hide your own criminal acts. But is the Congress left with any face to talk about criminals in politics ? They are the biggest criminals. What does all these rackets say ?

To brand me a criminal, they even detained me under COFEPOSA. But I was released without any charges being proved. I challenge you if you prove that I was convicted in a single case till date. Even the case of me insulting the national flag was proved false.

I fully agree that no criminal should be allowed to contest elections. But only if they are convicted. Otherwise anyone could be barred from contesting, filing false cases. And I am equally confident that only the United Front government can bring these reforms. They have no such criminal elements.

But what about Phoolan Devi ? Would you call her a criminal ?

Definitely. She has killed people. It's a different case that she has transformed herself now. But it cannot justify your criminal acts. It is also a fact that society forced her to become a criminal and a dacoit. But still she remains to be the criminal, as far as her past record is concerned. Transformation should not be made a criteria to contest elections.

But Taslumuddin was made the union minister, that too with a home portfolio, by the same UF government. How do you justify that ?

I really don't know whether he is a criminal. I'll find out and let you know.

It is said that many criminals have entered the Lok Sabha this time. What's your experience with them ? Do you find them more humane than the others ?

We are all sinners, you see. But there are many politicians sitting in the Parliament, who are actually criminal in nature. See Sukh Ram. He was a God for the Congress till yesterday. What is his fate today ? There must be many such criminals sitting in the House, but they are not the branded ones. You just wait for some days. All such hidden criminals would be exposed.

You were tipped to be the union minister. But MGP MP Ramakant Khalap scored over you at last minute. What conspired between whom, due to which you lost the opportunity?

Congress leader Sharad Pawar came for his rescue. Otherwise everyone in Delhi knew that he was trying for a berth in the BJP government. He is known to be a communal person in Goa. But more than that, he is an opportunist. Today he is sitting in the UF government as a Congressman, with Pawar's blessings.

But you had also supported him during elections ...

True. I helped him to defeat the Congress. But he gave a letter to the central leaders that I am a smuggler. I told them to prove it. Can there be a funeral without dead body ? Khalap is not a person to be relied upon. He ditched me.

Still you consider H D Deve Gowda as your leader ?

Yes, as long as he is the prime minister.

How long you feel the UF government would survive ? And whom will you support if the government collapses ?

Who knows what will happen tomorrow ? Is politics a stable and reliable game ? God knows whom I'll support if this government falls. But one thing I am clear upon. I'll neither support the BJP nor the Congress. It would be some or other component of the National Front - Left Front.

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