Some solutions are the simplest. As social activist Dorothy Day,’a saint for difficult people’ would say “The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us”. As we retread the steps of Drs Julião Menezes and Ram Manohar Lohia for the 73rd year, the debate isn’t about starting another revolution. It’s’ about not forgetting that revolution that which the duo gave Goa seven decades ago. Revolution is buried or ingrained deep within the Goan/Goemkar whichever way you look at it.
The annual Goa Revolution Day celebration in the state has been reduced to the level of a state-sponsored mime, an official dakhovok even nattoc. The Ministers, the MLAs, the Bureaucrats all turn up for an official roll-call where their presence neither reflects nor endorses Goa’s commitment to the ideals of the events of 18th June 1946. On that day, Goa defied a four-century-long denial to express itself, to feel free, to have a stake in the affairs of the land. Drs Menezes and Lohia’s presence was a catalyst of the desires of a land awakened. A land that dared to be different with its Gaunkaris, its Communidades, its secularity and most important its oneness. Today, when those who trample upon the rights of villages to decide their fate in gram sabhas, those who allow the brazen usurpation of community lands; salute the heroes of Goa Liberation Day at Azad Maidan, irony dies another death.
But Hey, today isn’t a day to feel helpless. Its’ the annual stock-taking event to remind us that we live a million mutinies and nurture a million revolutions every day. Fighting against a tyrannical Goa Government that comes up with scores of scams and draconian orders every day ranging from hounding activists to flagging illegalities in the name of development to robbing the state of its image of a friendly, safe and content state. Don’t forget, Goa cannot and should not forget the fact that a day before the Liberation Day anniversary, a lively and lovely daughter of humankind – Scarlett Keeling too would have celebrated another birthday. The same Goa Government which applauds the Revolution that began on 18th June 1946 every year; neither could protect her and many other foreign nationals including Danielle McLaughlin, Felix Dahl, Caitanya Lila Holt, Denyse Sweeney nor get them justice. Revolution Day isn’t about feeling the adrenaline rush on issues, it is about marking out who we want to be led by and who do we not want to sully the image of Amchem Goem.
And for God’s sake, get off your Facebooks and WhatsApp and step out of your houses. A Facebook comment wonders rightly “Sometimes I wonder whether a call towards an intellectual revolution will make sense to Goans”. The answer is no. While you were winning all these virtual wars of words in the digital Goa, the rogue politician, the conniving bureaucrat and the crony capitalist looted your lands, your water bodies, your forests in real Goa. Imagine if Facebook and WhatsApp had been there on 18th June 1946, Drs Menezes and Lohia’s revolution would have never happened. No voice of protest would have been heard by the Portuguese rulers. Sussegad Goemkar is fine as a personality trait but it is not the right frame of mind if you want to win revolutions. You have to step out if you want your Goa back. In 2014 Parliamentary elections, a meagre 31% of the population voted in 70% of Indian Parliamentarian thanks to millions of Indian believing the slickly packaged untruths and well-scripted lies. The truth four years since then is for us to see as an embarrassed nation.
Dear Goa, this Revolution Day could be another day on the calendar or beginning of a historic period of a Goan awakening. We have a million reasons to be angry about, we have another million to demand justice. Lighting a candle, sharing a Facebook/WhatsApp message isn’t the answer. The answer lies in stepping out and bringing the Revolution to the streets. On this day 73 years ago, thousands of Goan rallied in a massive act of defiance against their rulers of four centuries, can you not step out against those who have been running us for the past 57 years? Step Out! Come Out.
