The degree of self importance the Parsekar government attaches to itself, as opposed to ground realities, is evident in its warning sent to municipalities celebrating the carnival, not to criticise the government and its policies.
The very fact that for the first time in Goa that the tourism department has sent a letter to the municipalities threatening to withdraw grants to celebrate the Carnival in their towns, shows the level of paranoia the government is suffering from. Its target clearly is the Margao Municipal Council, where in a resounding victory in the recent elections, the combined panel of the Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai and the Congress routed the BJP-backed panel. But while the target it has picked is justifiable, the cause chosen is not. In fact it will be a political disaster for a BJP government if it withdraws carnival grants to a civic body because it has ostensibly chosen ‘Save Coconut, Save Goenkarponn’ as its theme for this year’s carnival.
The Fatorda MLA has obviously been clever about this. He announced his theme for the carnival which was construed as the MMC’s theme since the two have become synonymous. He then got the MMC Chairperson to state that the council has NOT made this ‘Save Coconut, Save Goenkarpon’ as the liet motif of this year’s Carnival festivities.
But these are political sideshows which Sardesai will continue to play. The BJP though is falling into a trap because it is mixing its political battle with Sardesai with its commitment to the people. It does not realize the adverse messaging that this decision will give to the people. The BJP has clearly stopped thinking. The Carnival Committee of the council is only the organiser. The Carnival is a people’s party and the government is not welcome, either as a party gate crasher or as a party pooper. The funds are not given to the councils to boost their coffers, but to facilitate a true peoples celebration, according to age old traditions, at the time when Goa is struggling to hold on to every little custom which is under threat.
The government has not only threatened not to release the remaining portion of the grants but to ‘recover’ the amount already disbursed, through official muscle flexing. What will it achieve by doing this? Councils which need the money will have to cut down or call off the float parades and its festivities. When a public festive event is hit hard, the people suffer. Why is the Parsekar government making the people of Goa, victims of his politics?
Moving to the issue of specific concern in Margao, there can be no mistake that the ‘Save Coconut, Save Goenkarpon’ theme strikes an universal chord. And if there is a float paying tribute to the coconut tree passes on the roads, with accompanying music, it will get a public response. Now if the government cannot handle genuine public outpouring against its decisions of moving the coconut out of the list of trees, and not passing any other act to protect the beloved tree, it cannot react in the manner it has by stopping grants to councils.
Somewhere down the line, the Chief Minister and the party must come to terms with the fact that ‘dadagiri’ will get diminishing returns. Its dictatorial and intolerant streak will face a people’s challenge very soon. That is when strong arm tactics will not work.
It may use the tourism department to spoil the Carnival in February but what directive will it issue to get the people conduct themselves in a manner the BJP wants, in the election carnival of December 2016 or January 2017? The move to stop carnival grants, is yet another hara-kiri of the Parsekar government.
It is actually getting quite good at this.
