Goa is going through a serious crisis of identity and is on its way of losing the tag of being a peaceful tourist paradise and worse still of its only industry being hit badly affecting the economy of the State and its people.
Unlike the rest of India, Goa did not come under the influence of the non-violent Mahatma and yet Goa was undoubtedly the most tranquil of the States, inhabited overall by docile, honest and law-abiding citizens. Unfortunately, these very attributes are responsible for every non-Goan coveting a piece of Goa and Goans being marginalised and treated as outsiders or second class citizens in their own land.
The present scenario in Goa was as much foreseen, as Winston Churchill reportedly did about Independent India and C Rajagoplachari, India’s first and only Governor General had noted in his diary in 1922, which read “Elections and their corruptions, injustice and the power and tyranny of wealth and inefficiency of administration will make hell of life as soon as freedom is given to us. Men will look regretfully back to the old regime of comparative justice and efficient, peaceful, more or less honest administration”.
Though India has made tremendous progress in various fields, sadly the governments, we have elected, are one worse than the other, leaving people frustrated and in a state of hopelessness and helplessness. These are the main reasons for the exodus of people and flight of talent from the country. With democratic processes not working effectively, with suspicions of the people’s mandate having been stolen due to large disparity between votes cast and votes counted, the recent controversy in Haryana over the EVM battery and the absence of plausible reasons for elections being held in more phases in smaller States and in one phase in larger States, make people feel cheated and disgusted that their only opportunity, once in five years, of expressing their will, is being crushed. With Maharashtra having elections in one phase for 288 seats and Jharkhand in two, for 81 seats, the Election Commission has failed to explain convincingly the reasons for this and other anomalies.
It is a welcome achievement that awareness, which seemed prevalent mainly in South Goa, has now spread all over the State, with people now realising and coming out in the open against the evil designs of this government, which is bent upon bulldozing its way to achieve its ends, no matter what and who is affected. Refusing to meet people’s justified demands and not addressing genuine grievances have aroused people’s anger, as they are now convinced that every step of the government is driven by unlimited greed and avidity to amass wealth, both legal and illegal. This is their sole concern, the main objective being building finances at whatever cost and by whatever means, totally oblivious of the dangers and risks to the lives, health and livelihoods of the people. It would appear that the government and its lackeys will not rest until Goa’s demography is changed and Goa is turned into another Mumbai, Delhi or Bengaluru. People’s patience is not unlimited and if it is tested, Goa may not be what it has been so far.
Not satisfied with scams of land conversion, poor road construction, sub-standard work in bridges, airports, retaining walls, etc, all indicative of cuts and commissions, we have now the cash for jobs issue. Government jobs have reportedly been on sale even during the Congress regime in Goa, but the rates then apparently pale into insignificance when compared to the present extortion.
If this government has still any credibility left, it will immediately yield to the demand for an inquiry by a retired judge, as the case, is now assuming serious proportions due to alleged involvement of ruling Party functionaries, several arrests and even a suicide. Reluctance in doing so will only strengthen suspicions of involvement of people close to the government. The inquiry might, in fact, also help the government get rid of some undesirable elements. The truly innocent will only welcome and never abhor inquiry. The Chief Minister might have ordered a complete investigation into the issue and called for arrests of the accused, but he can’t escape explaining why and how the main accused Pooja Naik got an appointment with him, when genuine people are not entertained. But let us not forget former Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik’s indictment of the govt headed by Sawant. The fact that he was a BJP nominee did not deter him from exposing the CM and even informing the Prime Minister, who, however, refused to take any action, signalling his indirect approval to graft, which he had promised to abolish. As Malik rightly said he was removed while the CM was retained, after the complaint.
One name which tumbled out in phone conversation over the job scam, coincided with that of a notorious politician, known as a broker involved in sale and conversion of land and earlier, during the Covid crisis, in shortage of oxygen at GMC, resulting in dozens of deaths.
Depriving people with merit of jobs and forcing them to shell out is surely unacceptable and this ought to be crushed with an iron hand as it encourages corruption in high positions to recover the extortion. This modus operandi forced also the exodus of Goans, who, much against their will, have now migrated for good.
People in Goa are feeling helpless with an insensitive government refusing to listen to their plight or woes. Is it right for a democratic government to shut their eyes and ears to the cries of the people, whose only recourse seems to be the courts? And not all can afford them. How often will people come on the streets to place their demands? If the government continues with its stubborn attitude, soon it may face a law and order problem, which it alone will be responsible for.
(The author is a
retired banker)