13 February,2022 08:35 AM IST | Mumbai | Jane Borges
Ricardo D’Souza at Tito’s in Baga, one of the most popular nightlife destinations in Goa, was established by his late father Tito Henry D’Souza in 1971
In Goa, Ricardo D'Souza is synonymous with Tito's. He is co-owner of one of Goa's iconic nightclubs with a legacy that goes back nearly 50 years. His late father Tito Henry D'Souza started a cozy restaurant on the placid Baga beach, which wooed the flower power generation into the sleepy coastal belt, making D'Souza and his family central to building Goa's tourism ecosystem.
The director of Tito's Resorts and Hospitalities Pvt Ltd. is now swerving into politics; a move that many are describing as rather bold. While two-time MLA Michael Lobo, who recently stirred up a hornet's nest after he switched from the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to the Congress, staring at a hat-trick win in Calangute when Goa goes to polls tomorrow, D'Souza is hoping to create a dent in this vote bank as an Independent. He will be contesting against other heavyweights, including BJP's Joseph Sequeira, Anthony Menezes of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Sudesh Mayekar of Aam Admi Party (AAP).
It was last year, in the midst of a brewing controversy over the fate of Tito's, that the hospitality kingpin had first shared his aspiration to join public service. In July 2021, a month after D'Souza had posted on social media that Tito's was selling the business following relentless harassment by "officials," he had called on the BJP expressing his interest to contest in the legislative Assembly elections from the Calangute constituency in North Goa. Nothing came out of that. Three months later, while announcing that Tito's wouldn't be severed from the family, D'Souza had categorically said "no politics". At the time, he claimed that the circumstances were not right, and that his family was opposed to his decision. "My family has still not come to terms with it," he tells mid-day over a video call. "My mum still doesn't know. She is 92, and she is dead against politics. But, I have no choice. There is so much corruption, and not just in Goa... I am doing this to open the eyes of the public. If good people don't take the plunge to save others from drowning, metaphorically speaking, nobody will be saved. Sometimes, a good person has to sacrifice some or everything. It's our duty." D'Souza says that he has always been a "bit of a socialist" with "his ear to the ground". He claims that the family has helped organise health camps, and put kids through school. Now, he wants to make a bigger change.
For the last few weeks, D'Souza has been stretching himself thin, rigorously campaigning through the day, while simultaneously holding fort at Tito's. Though he has lived in the US and the UK, Calangute has always been home. His move to politics, he says, was triggered by the fact that while his village had transformed into one of the richest constituencies in the region, none of that wealth had trickled down to its citizens.
"Calangute used to be a small fishing village and its people were poor. We all lived seven to a room; our cooking was done on firewood and palm leaves; there was no sanitation. A lot has changed since then. As per official records, it's now a R10,000-crore constituency. The world's best hotels, casinos, and brands are housed here. It's an incredible situation for businessmen. However, the locals have to put up with sound and dust pollution, less space on the road, because traffic is horrific. This is not the Calangute they want," he says, adding, "The rich have their broad avenues and plush homes, but the poor are suffering. And that is not visible to the public. This can't go on."
According to news reports, the affidavit submitted before the Election Commission has revealed that Lobo continues to remain among the richest MLAs with assets worth R84.387 crore; his assets have doubled from the Rs 49.47 crore since 2017. "The declared wealth of some of our MLAs is obscene. People are aspiring to be crorepatis. How did they get access to so much money? That's because of inequality in the distribution system," he feels.
While fighting corruption is the thrust of his campaign #RicardoforCalangute, the Independent candidate, who has a mic as his symbol, has also promised sops to locals, if he comes to power. His mission is to offer free electricity and homes to locals, and build a hospital in Calangute. He also hopes to strengthen the village economy and develop education infrastructure, including constructing a modern library. "My proposal to every builder or hotelier who comes here to do business will be not to allow it until they agree to help the locals. At least 20 per cent of what they develop, should be reserved for the local community. We already have a beautiful system in Goa - it is called communidade; here, the community owns the land. I want to leave our descendants the same kind of community holdings our ancestors left us, because [with the way things are progressing] in the future, no Goan will be able to buy property in Calangute."
One of the bigger challenges, he feels, has been convincing people to not sell their votes for money. "I have steadfastly refused to entertain my close friends who told me to go and spend money, and bribe them [locals]. I would rather not win. People have been selling their vote for as little as Rs 5,000. That's an incredible sellout. It's [also] stupid. Our people will go extinct if they don't use their intelligence," says D'Souza.
Inspiring his politics is the late Manohar Parrikar, former Minister of Defence of India and three time Goa chief minister. "He was a wonderful man; a mentor. I remember this one time, when he was CM in 2003 or 2004, in the name of protecting us against terrorists, the local police shut down the whole street [in Calangute] on New Year's Eve. This was the time when everyone had the chance to do good business, us included. It was an extortion grab by the police. We phoned Mr Parrikar - he was that accessible to everyone - and he personally came around midnight, caught the policeman in the middle of nefarious activities, and fired him on the spot.." He admits that it's a happy coincidence that Parrikar's son Utpal, who is also standing as Independent, has the mic as his symbol.
D'Souza is, however, keeping his cards close, and hasn't yet revealed if he would consider joining a political party, if he gets elected. "The BJP, Congress, and the TMC are all national parties, fighting for our country. What I wish to say to them is don't fight among yourselves. Our real enemy is China, Pakistan. Right now, they are all acting immaturely. Us Independents seem more mature than them."
