Remember Sunil Kawthankar? The former State NSUI President and later Congress’ chief spokesman in the State had once said, “Being the Opposition is being the people’s point of view, the devil’s advocate. You cannot let down the people who bestow their trust upon you, for even a moment. If the Opposition MLAs fail then the Opposition parties, the activists and even the people have to flood the streets. This democracy is ours and we run it our way, with or without the government.” Kawthankar, not many Goans would recollect, held fort after the Congress debacle of 2012 in the State attacking the government on many issues where his party MLAs failed to speak up in the Assembly and even survived a brutal attack when he moved the High Court against two of his party’s stalwart Ministers Ravi Naik (Home Minister) and Churchill Alemao (PWD Minister) when the duo allegedly crossed the limits of corruption. It’s time to bring out a thousand more Kawthankars to shake up the State from its slumber which is not exactly susegad.
Since February 2018 when the State’s Chief Minister has been hiding behind a veil of secrecy with regards the state of his health and yet seems to be on an overdrive pushing projects, statutes and the works that seem to have converted the State into a jamboree of corruption and opportunism, there is no opposition. In the Legislative Assembly, the Opposition is a motley crowd of experienced, ageing and egocentric veterans and newly-elected, babe-in-the woods type MLAs. An absolute disunited opposition more interested in getting elected the next time around rather than rallying the people to make this government accountable. A comeback Congress of 2017 seems to be a spent force just a year later, just because it failed to regain power. We voted for an alternative more out of faux impression than testing their sensibilities.
This government is running on an autopilot. Which the other MLAs (the Opposition Congress that we elected) are still licking their wounds of defeat, the fact remains that they are not countering this government at every step. This isn’t mindless opposition for the sake of opposing. It shall rather be a test of their depth of knowledge and commitment to Goa. A test whether they even capable of running the government in the future? Their failure to nail the government and its trail of destruction especially with regards to TCP Act and its TDR amendment, the Goa Requisition and Acquisition Bill, the mining restart without respecting the Apex Court’s decision amongst others makes the opposition seem as an accomplice to this non-functioning government.
Out there too, the scenario isn’t much to talk about. Aam Aadmi Party and INC indulge in a game of one-upmanship in a set of carefully curated and manicured pro-people events all for press coverage and social media buzz. They speak volumes but have failed to enthuse and inspire Goans to even step out of their comfort zone to at least show solidarity. The Cortalim traffic jam became a photo-op where young politicians pushed their way through the cordon of waiting policemen rather than braving the sun and the rains and conducting traffic as volunteers. The fact that their concern was just a political gimmick, rather than addressing a concern, came clear. On the other side, AAP hobnobbing with the anti-CRZ or anti-PDA protestors then heading for press conferences and press releases rather than moving the courts to hold up the government’s plans seems a political script too naïve to make people see them as amcho munis. Politics and dramatics don’t go hand in hand. The mask is too obvious and it shows.
While Goa awaits strong leaders who can challenge the current status quo where ministers fall sick yet put the State through sicker conditions, the people are increasingly getting restless of poor rhetoric but no action against the State being run by heartless bureaucrats with vested interests. The activists, the wannabe politicians need to wake up beyond their desire to emerge as the next best political alternative. This State does not require politicking pollsters and political poster girls/boys. What it requires is raw energy that stops a hill cutting or tree chopping even if the flying squad doesn’t turn up. It requires legal cunning and foresight to drag these Ministers and Departments to the courts if they try to bulldoze legislation on us. Are we ready to unleash a thousand bravehearts then?
