Besides the absolute majority it enjoys in the Goa Legislative Assembly, the government has now begun to intimidate any and every opposition to its plan of action.
Earlier this week, the chief minister, while speaking at a function in Goa Velha said that people should stop opposing the marina project proposed to be set up on the banks of the Zuari river at Nauxim. The Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), traditional fishermen’s associations and activists have strongly voiced their opposition to the government’s plans to establish a marina as part of the Sagarmala initiative. The project envisages a facility to accommodate 239 boats with space to accommodate two large 50-metre yachts.
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On Friday, the Revenue Minister confronted the Congress leaders and asked the Opposition leaders to mind their own business in their respective constituencies, who had visited the Dona Paula jetty to understand the issue of local vendors.
As school students, we have been taught that the Opposition plays a crucial role in ensuring that the government is held accountable for its actions and policies. One of the most important functions of the Opposition party is to act as a watchdog, monitoring the government’s actions and highlighting any issues or problems that may arise.
As a multi-party system, any political party which has not aligned itself with the ruling dispensation is considered to be in Opposition and therefore it’s expected from these parties to remain focused on their duty of protecting the rights of the citizens, whenever and wherever they are suppressed. When the Assembly is in session, they are expected to raise people’s concerns within the House and on other days, the Opposition political parties ought to be on the streets with the citizens irrespective of the constituency from which the MLA has been elected. The Leader of the Opposition is not a representative of only the constituency from where he/she has been elected but represents the entire State just like the Chief Minister or the members of the cabinet. Therefore, accusing the Opposition party MLAs of politicising an issue which concerns not just the local vendors but also the tourism industry, is a naive argument.
By definition, democracy is a rule of the people, by the people and for the people. Thus, people’s participation is not just restricted to going to the polling station once every five years, but being a part of every decision that is taken in the public domain. The most common precedence followed in Goa and the country is the public hearings before implementing and executing any project that could have implications for the locals as well as for the environment and State’s economy.
If the government of the day is confident that it has a progressive vision for the State, then it should ensure that people make informed decisions and support the government in its agenda of development. However, the question is, whether the government is interested in having a consensus or bulldozing its agenda through.
The recent incidents of trying to shoot down any opinion that is different from the line of thought of the government, clearly indicates that the ruling dispensation doesn’t want a different set of thinking apart from what it is strived to pursue. The only problem is that it will destroy democracy and the institutions that hold the State together.
A proactive Opposition, not just a political party but an alert population, are essential for a healthy democracy. Without an Opposition, democracy is just an authoritarian State.
