14 May,2010

Waiting, for what?
There is something perverse over how investigations get carried out in Goa. It takes the vengeance of a 33-year-old Swedish model—who apparently had a bitter break with her former allegedly drug-dealing beau—for the Goa police to wake up. Only when a case like that of Lucky Mångårda Amori emerges that the police start taking action, and take note of the wider ramifications of the narcotics economy and politics in coastal North Goa.
More importantly, it takes secretly-filmed footage and the allegations that emerge to lead to the arrest or suspend police officials. By contrast, there is hardly any self-initiated action, clean-up or investigation happening. Is it surprising then that lawlessness gets rewarded in Goa, and the guilty go unpunished?
English playwright-poet  William Congreve (1670-1729) wrote: “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.” But surely the Goa police should not be waiting for the truth about the local narcotics scenario to tumble out via former molls of narcotics suspects, who spill the beans via YouTube videos, which the media then stumbles upon. To be fair, whoever is at the helm of the Goa Police, whichever minister has been responsible for home affairs, and whichever party has been in power, the situation in Goa has stayed as bad on this front.
The authorities have long been in denial about the presence of narcotics in Goa, specially along the coast.  Authorities have turned a blind eye to this and its many implications. Resultantly, the extent of the problem has neither been adequately studied or acknowledged. In the meanwhile, it has caused all kinds of distortions in the local economy, and polity.
Contrary to what the BJP keeps insinuating at, it is not just one Congress politician and his kin who deserve to be held accountable. So many politicians from the area have found the vice sector—particular narcotics—an easy way to raise the big money needed to fund elections where everything gets reduced to money-power. If politicians dig deep enough, they would find that the rot extends to their own parties, and their own colleagues. But, as is said, you can’t awaken someone who pretends to be asleep. Oddly, the police is quick to take action when stung by adverse headlines. If this is the case, why don’t they act pro-actively to understand the situation better and clear up the mess among their own ranks?
Reports in the media  this week (Herald, May 13) have also pointed to raids on adulterated petrol rackets at places like Loutolim and Sancoale. This is part of a nationwide bid to curb the sale of adulterated petrol, and involved the CBI.
That petrol products were being adulterated in villages en route, in Salcete and Mormugao, has been no secret. This has been in the news for some time now.  It is likely happening elsewhere too. So, will the authorities merely wait till there are nationwide drives to take action?
A few days back, after media criticism, the Goa police swung into action and got its men-in-uniform photographed while undertaking breathalyzer tests to detect drinking after driving. It’s anyone guess how long these will continue if the media stays silent. The police could well return to merely fining helmet-less two-wheeler riders, as if that was their only responsibility while working on road safety.  The media can indeed serve as a channel for feedback to the authorities; but surely the latter should not wait for criticism to come up before taking action!
At other times too, the authorites—specially those whose duty is to enforce law and order or fight corruption—have shown a complete lack of pro-active initiatives. Waiting for some controversy to arise before taking action is definitely a policy for disaster. Let the police in particular show their responsibility; they can’t await cues from some bimbo in another continent before moving from their cushy seats to take long-overdue action. While doing so, let them not pretend that they can’t dig up the information they need; even Sweden is not on another planet!