A few years ago on our country’s Independence Day, when I was watching the DD news on the television, I saw a truck moving on the road in New Delhi. Our national flag was painted on the vehicle and the following words were written in Hindi next to our tri colour “Sau se asi beymaan, phir bhi mera Bharat mahan”.
Both giving and accepting bribes are against the law of God and also against the law of our country. In the historic Opinion Poll held 50 years ago, the people of Goa voiced their opinion against the merger of Goa into Maharashtra and protected the unique identity of Goa.
When my biology teacher at Don Bosco’s, late Matanhy Saldanha joined the BJP, he said, “It is better to live in hope than die of fear.” When he became a minister, I met him to congratulate him and also to express my displeasure as he had joined the BJP. Matanhy said to me, “Tennyson, the people of Goa could throw the BJP out if they were not happy with it after five years.”
Today, big companies with the blessings of our government have done illegal land fillings and damaged the water bodies and our ecology. Our trees and hills have been cut. India is a democratic country. But when some of the citizens of India came on the streets of Goa to protest during the Defence Expo and after the death of Bismarque Dias they were arrested.
Our fellow citizens who acquired Portuguese passports as the government failed to provide them the opportunity to earn their daily bread are on the verge of being called as Portuguese nationals. But on the other hand, the BJP Government granted Indian citizenship to Pakistani Singer Adnan Sami on humanitarian grounds.
The educational institutions managed by the priests and nuns have made a significant contribution to the growth and the development of India but they have not been consulted while framing the national education policy by the government.
Matanhy always wanted special status for Goa in order to ensure a restriction on the sale of land by Goans. However, our State Government feels that Goa has been given special status by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government by building huge bridges and roads in Goa.
Bad leaders are also elected by good citizens who do not cast their vote during the elections. Today, on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the Opinion Poll, I appeal to all my fellow citizens to voice their opinion on February 4 and elect the wise as MLAs. This is important to ensure that our Legislative Assembly is not like the Dead Sea but like the Sea of Galilee which will keep Goa beautiful and preserve its unique identity for our future generations.
(The writer is executive member of the National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, NCHRO Goa unit and a law student)
