In a joint press conference by GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro and Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar, Kavlekar’s words seemed like a breath of fresh air in energizing an united people-backed front against an anti-people government. “If the Government doesn’t listen to the people and goes further to extent to push ahead (the DefExpo) then we will have to unite and help the Goa bandh, since BJP MLAs have now started to tell how good the Defence Expo is but have not had a dialogue with the people who are opposing it”.
Faleiro’s decision to hold a press conference on Tuesday was a direct reaction to the one held on Tuesday by Fatorda MLA, Vijal Sardesai, the man behind the Goa Forward ‘movement’, as he calls it.
On Monday Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, called for a Goa bandh, in support of the battle of the Quitol residents in Betul against the Defence Expo where he said “The silence of the Congress state president on the CM’s authoritarian statement is shocking. I would like to reassure the Congress party of our support if it ever decides to take on this perfect example of developmental authoritarianism of the BJP”.
Faleiro appropriated credit to his party by saying, “The Orixtt Porjecho Awaz opposed this at the state level, and after discussing with us and among selves, they have taken this step today. If it is required to go to the state level we will see. They have been asking for the cooperation of all”.
But reluctantly or otherwise the Congress or its President have realised that they can neither afford to sit on the fence nor shy away from giving full-throated support to the people’s cause of opposing the DefExpo. Thus on the issue of taking the people’s side on the issue of the opposing the manner in which the Goa government, under instructions from Defence Minister Parrikar, acted as the Center’s servant and not a democratically elected government, the Congress and the Goa Forward movement have to be together, or at least on the same side of the fence.
Finally, the only pressure which works to bring parties and people to their senses is people pressure. All egos will be forcibly cast aside when it is realised that their political existence could be at stake, if mature decisions are not taken.
Meanwhile moving away from the politics of this, the Chief Minister and the party cannot defend the threats of the Chief Minister of “putting behind bars” those who oppose the DefExpo project by saying that it was directed at those who chose to politicize this. However the ground reality is that this started purely as a people’s movement where the parties joined in later. The Assolna gram sabha formally expressed solidarity with the people of Betul, the Federation of Rainbow Warriors, a Green NGO, too has decided to back the opposition calling the DefExpo as a “poorly disguised land grab”.
The government meanwhile, is desperate for this first edition to pass off peacefully. Hence it is asking the locals to allow it to happen and then protest. Does the government think the people are so naïve to lock the stables after the horses have bolted? It needs a reality check. Is there even a remote possibility of the Ministry of Defence pulling out in the second year after it prepares the ground and holds the first edition of the DefExpo?
The government needs to hold ground level consultations and answer all the doubts and apprehensions of the locals before allowing this DefExpo to happen. It should have engaged MLA’s from South Goa to meet people and do a detailed confidence building exercise. Without doing so, the Chief Minister has issued a direct threat of filing FIR’s against protesters.
It’s a pity that the party ruling the state hasn’t figured out how to choose between genuine grass root people dissent and the political posturing of its opponents.It has mixed up the two and will face electoral consequences.
