Goemkars are known the world over for their hospitality, warmth and amicable behaviour. It is a matter of introspection to investigate why this ‘susegado’ population has started exhibiting overt signs of xenophobia and a palpable rise in sectarian behaviour.
While the etymology of ‘Ghanti’ is arguably of geographical significance denoting people that are inhabitants from across the ghats – it is used in a derogatory connotation to describe non-Goans that do not conform to the standards of archetypal civilised society and one reeking with inferiority.
One cannot deny that the migrant influx is at an alarming rate and holds potential for cultural dilution from the romanticised idea of Goem of old. Genuine issues such as maliciously assuming Goan names with ulterior motives, illegal encroachment of public/comunidade land/old deserted houses, allegations that migrants readily access ration card/voting rights in Goa need to be dealt with sternly. Open defecation and pan chewing/spitting also seem to be a bane inherited with the migrant populace. Increasingly, one also hears of involvement of migrant workers in crimes such as theft/homicide/sexual assault. So what is the way forward? How do we protect the individual constitutional rights of an Indian citizen versus the right to protect the interests of the indigenous Goan population and his land?
To arrive at a conclusion we need to dissect to find the cause of migration. The migrant population is denied of basic rights such as standard healthcare, education, economic prospects, basic standard of living in their home States which are comparatively at a much higher standard in Goa. This combined with an acute shortage of ‘cheap’ labour which is conspicuously absent in Goa, provides a potent impetus for mass migration into Goa to fill an ever increasing void. Garbage collection, manual labour, construction workers and similar odd jobs has become the forte of migrant workers. They now also hold a significant share of electricians/plumbers/carpenters/barbers.
What are the probable solutions to work towards? Contractors that bring labour from across the State boundaries have to ensure for their accommodation and sanitation to stop the ever growing zhopadpatti and open defecation which are health hazards and should be made legally accountable in failure to do so. Strict police verification to highlight repeat offenders is mandatory too. Politicians have an obvious interest in creating migrant vote banks, if it is enforced that voting rights are maintained only in their home state, it will act as a significant deterrent. Skill-based training centres that are industry and market driven for Goans will be a welcome move. Preference and reservation for Goans in government jobs will go a long way in protecting the interests of locals. Along with the above, domicile criteria can be tweaked accordingly to accommodate locals.
Violent posturing, threatening, public shaming, discrimination and taking the law into our hands cannot be the way ahead. It is disheartening to see the divided approach of Goans in addressing the situation with extremes, one that calls for totalitarian cleaning of migrants from the State and the other that refuses to take cognisance of the situation which amounts towards deliberate neglect towards an obviously festering wound.
Goenkarponn needs to be protected, NGOs and civil society are pressing for the same, the government too has indicated that it will bring legislation after it sensed building public opinion regarding reservation of jobs for locals.
One needs to acknowledge that migration is always for better prospects, let it be from Belgaum to Goa or from Goa, abroad. Let us not reduce a human -to a mere migrant statistic.
