18 Sep 2022  |   05:50am IST

A political blockbuster

Peter Fernandes

In recent times, Bollywood was going through a bad patch, until Brahmastra hit the screen, and it turned out to be a blockbuster. A great sigh of relief for the Bollywood fraternity. Goa was hoping to have a political blockbuster in the recently concluded assembly election after some trying years of political cacophony, but it turned out to be a disaster. However, a political déjà vu on September 8 provided a political blockbuster in the making, not for the people of Goa but for the media and especially for social media. Another political cacophony for the people of Goa to endure, while crores of rupees are exchanged in the name of development. Yet, the million dollar question remains: will the people of Goa learn any lessons from such a dastardly and despicable act by eight elected members of the legislative assembly? Lessons ought to be learnt and learn the lessons in time before allowing history to repeat itself. The eight defectors have not only betrayed the people of Goa but have raised serious questions about our democracy. If the current trajectory of the political atmosphere is allowed to continue, the death of democracy is not a distant cry.

The political situation in Goa appears ominous, as politicians who have long undermined the power of the electorate have now weakened the gods as well. As it is said, "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom," and a lack of wisdom entails chaos. Consequently, what can the people of Goa expect from these impostors, who fear no gods? Taking licence to lie to the people of Goa in the name of the gods is beyond imagination, and yet, it is true. How to reconcile this thought in order to move forward? Will the gods intervene? Perhaps, but in the meantime, people have to wise up and rise up to clean the system. People's power is ultimate in a political process, and this power should not go unused to incur an unjust system forced down on us by our own elected representatives. By nature, God created humans as political beings, and it is the right and duty of everyone to participate in the political process for the common good. Those who stifle political freedom are the enemies of the people. The battle is on, and the enemy ought to be defeated for the sake of freedom, peace, and prosperity.

The political conundrum that drums the political arena in Goa with a nauseating rhythm as the electorate watch it helplessly is a striking reminder of evil intent and bad days to come. At this time, it seems that not even the gods can save the people. Political freedom is more precious than what is framed as development by the shameful defectors. If only they had understood what political freedom meant, perhaps they would have thought otherwise. People have laid down their lives to gain freedom, which is fundamental to human nature. In all kinds of development, existence appears as a shadow in the absence of freedom. These shameful defectors are a threat to political freedom, which is expressed in our democracy and enshrined in the constitution.

The electorate needs to wake up and demand justice from their representatives for violating their rights and freedom. Silence from the electorate will only embolden the impostors to continue to undermine democracy, which is a bigger prize to pay over false promises and assurances. The political dry phase in Goa needs a blockbuster release to reinforce confidence in the people for better days to come.

The blockbuster Brahmastra is a depiction of a Hindu myth. It appears that to salvage the pride and political well-being of Goans, it needs a mythological hero, as the film follows Shiva, an orphan with pyrokinetic powers who discovers that he is an astra, a weapon of enormous energy. He attempts to prevent the strongest of the astras, the Brahmastra, from falling into the hands of dark forces that share a history with him. Could the three Congress MLAs, who fled to join hands with the BJP (the dark force with tonnes of money), be the mythological Shiva? Goa needs a blockbuster to protect the environment and culture from the destructive projects that the BJP is pressing down on Goa to satisfy its masters in Delhi and Gujarat. 

A small, beautiful, and peaceful State is under siege from these destructive forces. In recent years, Goa has witnessed daily unprecedented crimes that are both deplorable and shameful. A glimmer of hope seems to have appeared in these unflinching leaders. Orphans they may appear to be for now, but with pyrokinetic power, that is, the power of the people, they can prevent the dark force from destruction. It is a blockbuster in the making.


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar