Nothing can make a person from another state in India, into a “Goemkaar”; at least not in the true sense of the word. Merely having a house or property in Goa doesn’t necessarily make one a Goemkaar.
Yes, it does make you a “Goan resident” in all its technicalities, but does not make you a Goemkaar.
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Being a Goan resident is merely a technicality; while being a Goemkaar is a feeling! It is an abstract and intangible flavor that cannot be purchased or acquired. One has to be born with it. And even being born with it is NOT enough…one should have substantially “lived” it…!
So if you were born and have lived out of Goa most of your life, please don’t tell me that just because your grandparent/s or parent/s were born in Goa, that makes you too a Goemkaar. Sorry, it doesn’t!
It makes you a “person of Goan descent”, no doubt; but to be a true and “niz” Goemkaar, you compulsorily have to have “lived” as a Goemkaar!!
Coming back to the original point, basically, one can purchase property in Goa and gain the tag of “Goan resident”. But one cannot purchase or gain the tag of “Goemkaar”.
Now please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I am not talking about “entitlement” or “reservations” or “superiority/inferiority”. I’m ONLY talking about the difference between a “technicality” and a “feeling”!
Having said that, there are plenty of people who have come into Goa and have made it their home. There are comforts and pleasures that only Goa can satisfy and fulfil. And currently, as citizens of India, nobody can be restricted from purchasing property and settling in the state.
We will have to accept the fact that, whether we like it or not, for all legal, official, and technical purposes these people are “Goan residents”. And many of them since decades have been living in Goa, doing business, and employed in Goa. They’ve contributed to the Goan economy in many ways. Mainly via taxes and spending. We can’t take away from that fact. Many have also added value.
Please note, that not all such people are involved in illegalities. There definitely are some though. But that’s a different topic. As long as they respect the culture, respect the Goan community fibre, and live withing the moral and legal framework, I don’t see any issues. At least not constitutionally.
So the conundrum that I’m stuck with is, who is more Goan?
Is it an outsider who has full-fledgedly settled as “Goan resident” since 30 years? Or a 50-year old (Goemkaar) person born in Goa but has hardly lived in Goa?
Do the rights and duties differ? Is one more entitled than the other? And technically or legally can either one exercise more command or power over the other?
Alas! Certain incidents during the last few days (like Vasco and Candolim) have proven that currently “Goemkaarponn” has become fickle and weak. It is only something that we know how to thump our chests and proclaim, “Hanv Niz Goemkaar!”.
But when put to the litmus test, the Goemkaarponn cookie crumbled like a badly-built brick wall!
