By Prof Marcellus D’Souza
Mar 23: The Bible depicts Goliath as a huge ‘man’ who was defeated when a stone hit his forehead, and the giant man fell to the ground. The Lord helped David defeat Goliath without a sword or an armour.
The story of David and Goliath was replicated in Goa during the recently held elections. In the Benaulim Constituency.
David a.k.a. Venzy Viegas took on Goliath a.k.a Churchill Alemao. Venzy was tiny when compared to the giant Churchill Alemao. After a well fought campaign, Venzy was able to defeated Churchill. He neither had a sword or an amour.
The stone hit Churchill. But not before giving a befitting fight. After all he was a 4 time MLA. Huge in structure, he used the constituency as his personal fiefdom. His word was law and nobody just nobody could speak against the self appointed Goliath of Benaulim. He held weekly ‘durbars’ and his judgements were implemented by his ‘boys’. His very presence could terrify people and his anger tantrums are legionary.
Venzy Viegas is of short statured person and a novice in politics. But he is fearless. At 44 years of age he mustered the courage to finally take on the undisputed Goliath of Benaulim and usher in an era of change. He contested on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAM) ticket and defeated Churchill Alemao by 1271 votes.
Viegas was so daring that he literally took the charge into the den of Alemao. He did something which was unimaginable. Venzy Viegas visited the home of Churchill Alemao’s brother Joaquim Alemao. It was an act that even ruffled Joaquim. He was skeptical and questioned Venzy about his intentions. This one act broke Goliath’s resolve. Joaquim and Venzy spoke about the nitty gritties of the ensuing elections.
Churchill as well as Venzy Viegas were both mariners. Venzy is a ‘skipper’ of a ship or in common parlance, a ‘Captain’ by profession, Churchill Alemao was a deck hand. Venzy is the son of a motor mechanic and hails from a simple and God fearing family. Churchill was the local Robin Hood who solved people’s problems with muscle power and force. His judgements can best be described as rustic.
Churchill called Venzy a 'baccha' during one of his interaction with the media on the campaign trial. This did not unfazed Venzy. He maintained his beginnings were humble. “I don't have a political background”, he said. But Venzy was educated and had secured the “Highest Nautical Diploma in Nautical Science from South Tyneside College South Shields United Kingdom in 2011. Churchill Alemao did not have much to show as far as academics go. Unlike his opponent, Venzy did not have any police records.
In February 2022, Venzy met and had a ‘soulful’ conversation with Goa’s very own Nightingale Lorna Cordeiro. He was so proud of the moment that he posted a photograph of this meeting on his social media page.
Venzy Viegas has always maintained, "People have put their faith in me because they realise that AAP is now the only hope for the people of India. I will ensure that all the houses in Benaulim get tap water and for this, I have started talking to all the sarpanchs of my panchayats in my constituency.”
During his first few action packed days after being sworn as MLA of Benaulim, Venzy was seen at the site of mud filling at low lying areas for Western Bypass’. He then took up the issue of hawkers on Colva beach along with local police and tourism department officials. Churchill has not been seen in public since the election results have been declared. He is not used to be out of power and the lime light and could be planning his new move.