For those who love Goa, this hasn’t come a day too soon. Six months short of a decade since the historic Goa Bachao Abhiyan rally on July 7 2007, which gave the first ray of hope for Goa’s common man, that people had the power to move mountains and governments, close to 20 citizens groups and movements will meet in Panjim on Republic Day to finalise a people’s manifesto with concrete action points , for candidates to adopt.
While the broad details are in the front page story of this edition, the significance of this gathering in the historical Panjim municipal garden on Republic day, can never be undermined. For the first time in Goa’s history, ordinary citizens who have done extraordinary things, fighting to protect Goa and its people, from the beaches to the forests from the recesses of Goa’s mining areas to the heart of the tourists belts, will spend almost the entire day sharing their experiences. This is not about speeches but about aiming for the rainbow with each colour representing new hope.
The Goenche Mogi Citizen’s Meet’, will not be about speeches- in fact there will be just three- but about working together to frame, draft and finalise a People’s Manifesto, to be handed over to the leaders of all political parties. But it doesn’t end here. At the time of delivery of the People’s Manifesto, political parties will have to pledge to adhere to it. It follows that any clarifications or dialogue with the team which is giving shape to this grand movement called the “Goenchi Mati Movement’ will be welcome.
We can call this a meeting of warriors. Each a foot soldier, each a general, each a victim, each a fighter, each a mobiliser of opinion and each a shaper of our destiny’s. And above all, each a hero asking the political parties, supposed to be a servants of Goa’s desires, needs and aspirations, to follow a manifesto inked by people’s dreams, the real manifesto, with soul and substance, needed to govern a people centric Goa.
Step back and imagine this. There will be twenty odd (or more stalls) not selling food and drink, but sharing items of greater nourishment- information, and knowledge of Goa’s key issues regarding land, water, environment, safety, tourism, and so on. Each issue desk will have subject experts who will educate you on the issue at hand and tell you about the struggles carried out, to take on the government for justice.
And there will be drawings and cartoons, there will be music, there will be thatr and satire, and there will be art, making up a medley of creative expressions to embellish the very strong and critical discussions to be held at the Panjim Municipal garden on January 26.
While political parties per se, won’t be there, members of political parties will be more than welcome in their own right, as true lovers of Goa get down to business.
Once the Peoples Manifesto is finalized through a process, on January 26, the final draft of the people’s manifesto will be read out and agreed upon, an example of genuine consultative process.
Importantly, irrespective of whether parties or candidates adopt the People’s Manifesto or not, it will be on record and in public domain and no elected government can or will be allowed to run a course contrary to the genuine needs of Goa, as articulated in the peoples manifesto.
All lovers of Goa have the right to congratulate themselves, for doing what very few of our countrymen have done- lay the foundation stone of people’s governance, and for the future of our children.
