The process of inquiry initiated by the TCP minister to look into all illegalities committed by anyone who is not a robot, in Goa, though out rightly rejected by Goencho Avaaz, can be actually be used to their advantage.
If it can be assured that the inquiry will be in real time, transparent with the findings of the investigation at every stage in every plot, be available digitally, the five-member committee will be rightly opening themselves up for scrutiny of the highest order, of their work. And that is only right.
The documentation of illegalities and irregularities that members of the Goencho Avaaz have, many of whom have been members of the Village groups of Goa, can actually help the committee zero in and nail many of the cases of conversion and fraudulent land use by powerful individuals.
Goenchao Avaaz has said, and it should, release the “second list” of irregular conversions which again should be scrutinised. Here again there will, rightly, be scrutiny on specific cases and not merely on an overall plan and policy.
One of the primary successes of the rally, which was a battle for land and by extension livelihoods, was that the allegation of land deals was taken to the door of every political party. The burden of betrayal of plans and planning process right from 1987 to now has to be borne by the two principal parties the Congress and the BJP. The Goa Forward, according to almost everyone at the Lohia Maidan rally, in solidarity, is being held guilty by association at one level, with questions being asked about his own land transfers and deals in Varca.
Through this inquiry, all parties can counter allegations against them. Here, the ones who are absolutely clean on the conversion front will have no problem.
The decision assumes significance, because it will open up old cases and throw them into a social media driven, 24x7x 365 media glare. In 2008 Facebook was at its very nascent stages. There was no Whats App or twitter and the only thing which went ‘viral’ was fever. If all the cases which were brought up during the Lohia Maidan rally, as well as any subsequent ‘ disclosures’ Goencho Avaaz will make, are in focus and discussed (with the provisio that if there are any that do not stand the test of scrutiny they should be put on the back burner), it will be game changing.
The point here is that if the inquiry doesn’t achieve its desired objectives, the department and minister will lose ground. But if the objective is different, i.e to keep focus on all the irregular and illegal land transfers of the past and reopen them for the public, that can be achieved by letting this inquiry ordered play out.
At the same time, the data further gathered during investigations can be used when and after the Regional Plan 2021 is formally bid goodbye, to start a serious, non-negotiable and time bound exercise to give Goa a people centric Regional Plan of 2031.
