Voters today are entitled to know the educational qualifications of candidates. It is mandatory for every candidate to file an affidavit declaring also their wealth and criminal record, if any. Maybe it’s time to make a health fitness certificate also obligatory.
Perusal of records of the last few elections shows that the less educated the candidate is, the better are his chances of getting elected. Today the electoral fortunes of candidates are also brightened based on how colorful their criminal record is, coupled with heavy money bags and a reasonable supplement of muscle back up.
MLAs are supposed to be drafting and debating good laws for the State. So some education is very essential for any MLA to be able to perform and articulate on various issues. Goa may be India’s third most literate state, but does our Legislative Assembly reflect that reality? We have been faltering in the quality of persons we have been electing. We should be blaming ourselves and not the uneducated or under educated we elect.
Ponda’s Ravi Naik in his affidavit on 28th January this year claimed he had a Masters Degree in Political Science from Madurai Kamraj University which he had obtained in November 2006. Could it have been in Tamil medium? It is definitely not in English given that we have over the years witnessed Ravi Naik being unable to even read properly in the Legislative Assembly a few lines given to him by his officers. While being sworn in as a Minister on 28th March, the 75 year old Ravi Naik took his oath in Hindi and fumbled all the way there too.
