A little less than two years ago, Gopal Kanda with the tacit understanding with the Captain of Ports, made a submission in the Court of Law that “Lucky Seven” the casino boat owned by the Kanda family, illegally forced the entry of the vessel into River Mandovi and as a consequence the vessel got grounded off the Miramar beach, inviting thus an ecological disaster in the making. Anybody could see the fake encounter played in front of the judges, by the Kanda family and the CoP. All that the BJP in power wanted to do is convince the Panjimites that Lucky Seven entered the Mandovi River without formal permissions from the CoP or the BJP government in Goa. All would have gone unnoticed and very well had the vessel “Lucky Seven” been towed out and safely anchored at Campal. Unfortunately all the help CoP gave the casino vessel in distress failed and the High Court was asked to proclaim the judgment in the case.
It was then the “cat was out of the bag”. There was a clear attempt of a “Great casino setting” carried out by the BJP, CoP and the owners of the vessel to hoodwink the lethargic Goan public and the judiciary, which strictly goes by the evidences placed before them. When the judges questioned the CoP as to how he could stall the casino operations after the CoP has received money, the CoP was dumb-founded and quickly and eagerly agreed to give a site and the place in River Mandovi for the placement of “Lucky Seven”.
However, Mother Nature stood firm and pounded and grounded the “Lucky Seven” to such an extent that it had to be shifted to be dry docked and repaired at the Maharashtra ship repair facility. Unfortunately for us Goans, it has now re-surfaced within two years of quiet and disquiet to be back in River Mandovi, with a new name “The Big Daddy”.
While we living in and around Panjim in particular and in Goa in general would be debating and taking potshots on as to how, why and when the “Big Daddy” sneaked into the Mandovi waters, the CoP and the Goa government would again play a drama before the Goans or even perhaps before the judiciary as to “who” is the main culprit tacitly ushering in the now “Big Daddy” of the gambling industry into the already polluted and decaying Mandovi River. Interestingly, when the Congress MLAs were hugging offshore casinos on River Mandovi, the late Parrikar, was in full cry from 2008 to 2012, that casinos and gambling is a crime on the Goan society, and as a true nationalistic Indian he would ensure the destruction of Indian culture should not take place in Goa. The late Parrikar was then very active visiting the casino jetty, and threatening CoP of direct action and a war against the gambling culture brought into the State by the then Congress government. Yours sincerely too was taken for a big ride and fooled into believing that Parrikar had Indian culture (sanskruti) best at heart and I was at that time standing arm in arm with the then opposition leader. When Parrikar declared that he along with the BJP bhakts would invade the offshore casinos, I meekly shook my head in approval. However, I was spared the fright of my life as Manoharbab only ended up his veiled threat in words and not by any direct action. Since 2012, until he remained the CM until his recent demise, not only did the casinos increase in numbers but their capacities grew five folds, thus totally placing the Mandovi ecosystem, biodiversity and gene pool in total disarray and quandary. The Mandovi River now is severely polluted.
When, I questioned Surendra Furtado the former Mayor of Panjim, as to why he is not actively working against the offshore casino lobby by mobilising the people and the residents of Panjim, he startled me by courageously pronouncing that how could he start a casino hatao movement, when every elected member was infavour. As all the politicians who matter, across political affiliation all have no face to challenge the removal of the offshore casinos from River Mandovi. He even asserted that he would not like to spell out names of “all and sundry” as it could adversely affect even the political party.
As of today, it is amply clear when Congress was in power the BJP initiated symbolic protests and people voted for the main opposition, the BJP. Today we see BJP in power, and the Congress are crying wolf, wolf. It thus appears that political formation in turns capture power and fools the people.
During every election, we chase out one set of “feasting flies” and allow another set of flies to settle on the filth, keeping the pollution in Goa on for eternity. So as people of Goa we must not keep changing the “political flies” feasting on the “dirty casino business”, but to come out together in one voice as people of Goa, to drive out the filth, by a “Revolutionary Movement” instead of changing the dirty politicos, who merrily feast on the offshore casinos’ black deeds. The ground realities are crystal clear for the Goans to see and bear. “Man may come and man may go but offshore casinos in Goa will forever stay and kill the Mandovi River. We know too well that CoP is crying joyously, while Mandovi is dying steadfastly.
We must always remember that “Great Evils” are generated by a few men in power. However, we must remember that it is that silence of good men, who do nothing to nip “the evil” in the bud that allows wrong to grow. The people get the government they deserve and as Parliamentary elections draw close in April 2019, the future of Mandovi and the people seemed doomed forever.
(The writer is a Retired University Professor and an Environmental Activist)
