Revolution & rotation
All discussions that take place among activists and other so-called ‘socially conscious’ people generally come to at least one satisfactory conclusion; that it is ‘the system’ that is to blame for whatever particular ill is being discussed. ‘The system’ is possibly the most convenient whipping boy in the entire world; acceptable to capitalist and communist, to the God-fearing and the Godless, to those who call themselves secular as well as those who label them pseudo-secular.
If it is the system that is to blame, then any solution must envisage a change in that system. And, as we know, another, more popular word for ‘systemic change’ is revolution. It’s a tricky word, considering that nearly every shade of political opinion has, tucked away somewhere in its vision, mission and programme of action, a ‘revolution’.
It may be the violent revolution espoused by the Maoists, or the democratic electoral version advocated by the mainstream Communist parties. Then there’s ‘Total Revolution’, envisioned by the late Jaiprakash Narayan – altogether a more Gandhian concept. Nowadays, any major change – whether in the political and social sphere, or even in science and technology – is described as a revolution.
So one does not know exactly what Goa Governor S S Sidhu had in mind when he called for a ‘moral revolution’ as a counter to the happenings in Goan society. His statement is significant, because in this case the Governor was speaking his own mind, not reading a speech prepared by the government. Governor Sidhu made the statement as part of his message of greetings to the people of Goa on the eve of India’s 64th Independence Day.
The Governor said that serious concern was being expressed about the degeneration of social values and public morality in Goan society. He cited as examples sensational crimes, social evils like drug addiction, drug trafficking, corruption, environmental degradation, and so on, and pointed out that these counter the image of an ideal state that Goa aspires to. The Governor must be congratulated for his keen perceptions, and for keeping his finger on the pulse of the populace. These are tasks that politicians normally specialise in, but today’s rulers of Goa have chosen otherwise – to be like Mahatma Gandhi’s three monkeys.
“The need of the hour,” he said, “is a moral revolution.” Well said. Governor Sidhu rightly pointed out that no society can truly survive, sustain and progress without a strong foundation of moral and ethical values. No doubt. With the possible exceptions of Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Home Minister Ravi Naik and Director-General of Police (DGP) B S Bassi, most others would agree with the Governor. But that’s neither here nor there. It’s exactly like ‘the system’, that universal bogey we all agree to blame. Circular arguments tend to go round and round, and rarely reach anywhere. What we need is concrete solutions.
Living in the Past?
Would Goa have got ‘special status’ if Goans had asked for it from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru soon after Liberation? Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat seems to think so. Unfortunately, the CM’s lamentable hindsight seems way off-target.
While it is true that Nehru was anxious to reassure Goans of India’s benign intentions after Liberation, he wasn’t about to give them ‘whatever they wanted’. Goa was then a union territory, not a state. Goa’s first Chief Minister’s vision – however misguided – was to merge that territory with Maharashtra. His vision was flawed, and was put to rest by Goa’s people.
Crying over milk that wasn’t even spilt is not the best way to evade responsibility and to try transferring blame to someone who is not even here to defend himself. It is best that the CM deals with the present, rather than live in the past.
