PETER FERNANDES
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Once a Rome of the East, a holiday destination of the dreamers, and a pride of the nation, Goa has taken an ominous turn in the recent past and has become a nightmare for the locals and for the visitors. Who is responsible? The nightclub inferno in Arpora, North Goa, has opened a deep-seated malady orchestrated by our elected leaders. This orchestra is played with perfect coordination from the grassroots to the top of the power pyramid, which true patriots behold with disdain. It is not only Goa, but the whole nation wants to know what went wrong in the Arpora inferno. The Congress party was replaced from dominating Goan politics on the slogan “zero tolerance” for corruption. Late Manohar Parrikar, the former Chief Minister of Goa, famously used this slogan, “Zero Tolerance” for corruption, but he turned out to be a leader with “U” turns on most of his promises. One such “U” turn was on casinos. Parrikar vowed to eliminate offshore casinos from the state’s waterfronts before he completed his tenure in 2013: “By the time I complete four years, there will be no casino boat in Goa’s waters.” Since then, casinos have not only remained stagnant but have experienced significant growth. Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process, he does not become a monster. Sadly, under the BJP government (over a decade), the corruption in Goa has reached a level that was never seen or felt before. The Arpora nightclub inferno is just a tip of the iceberg. Once, Goa was a paradise of peace and tranquillity, now famous for nightlife—dum maro dum—and the credit goes to our elected leaders at all levels.
The level of corruption in Goa is beyond comprehension. And it is made possible because Goa has a parallel government, one elected and the other illegal—the shadow government. The common man is clueless about the nature of governance but is systematically victimised for no fault of his own. Under the present dispensation, the governance in Goa has reached its lowest ebb. The present dispensation has allowed the shadow government to function at its behest, and it is playing havoc in all sectors of state departments to reap benefits for their masters. The shadow government is very powerful and shows its ugly face on and off at its will. Recently, a social activist, Rama Kankonkar, was brutally assaulted in broad daylight. Under such a system, a voice of dissent is subjugated mercilessly. Those involved in shadow governance act with impunity because they are blessed by our elected leaders. All kinds of mafias—part of the shadow government, the likes of land, drugs, sex, extortion, bouncers and money laundering—have dawned on Goa, and our leaders are entertaining them sumptuously. The voice of the local people has been subdued to such a level that it can make no impact on all the ills and illegalities that are happening in broad daylight. Once in a while to cover their dirty linen, ministers will take on a role like Anil Kapoor in the movie “Nayak” to threaten the doctors and nurses, which is a disgrace to Goa and Goans. Such an uncouth act was on display before the nation for all to see, and yet, these leaders continue to represent the beautiful state. Maybe it is accepted or tolerable because Goa is now famous for “dum maro dum.”
The ordinary citizens are not familiar with how the double-engine sarkar works. The double-engine sarkar also has twin brothers, the Gujarati business lobby and Delhi land grabbers: These two lobbies are pushing the locals out from their habitations, mostly from the coastal belt, at will, and the locals can do nothing about it because the elected representatives are hand-in-glove with these lobbies. The local panchayat conveniently washes their hands by citing that projects are passed from the centre and they can do nothing about it. What kind of democracy is this? Is it federal or unitary? Some villages in Goa are still fighting to oppose the double tracking, mainly to keep coal away. One side, drug puffs are destroying the youth, and on the other side, the coal dust—on both sides, dum maro dum. Parrikar had assured that double tracking will not come to Goa, because it has no benefit for Goa and Goans. The present Chief Minister, famous for saying, “Bhivpachi Garaz Na” (no need to worry), has allowed it to continue. In the process, the ordinary citizens are left to fend for themselves, with no relief in sight, but only pain and regrets. Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power explains the mindset of the double-engine sarkar.
What is the rationale to promote Goa as an international tourist destination? When Goa cannot provide basic infrastructure, how can it consider itself to be a world-class tourist destination? How can one say, “Bhivpachi Garaz Na,” with poor waste management, marine litter, open defecation, and open dumping and burning of waste everywhere? When Goans face daily severe traffic congestion, lack of reliable public transport, and the menace of steep taxi rates, why should anybody feel welcome? Once famous for its natural beauty and clean environment, now under rapid conversion of fields and green zones for construction, allowing sand dune erosion, siltation, and groundwater depletion, should Goans still believe “Bhivpachi Garaz Na?” By allowing the twin brothers to dominate Goa’s business sector, all be assured of this: Goa is not too far from turning into another air-polluted furnace like Delhi. The business tycoons our government is entertaining are ruthless and be mindless, and they will go to any length to buy people and politicians to get what they want, and they have proved that this is possible. The buying of MLAs is part of this project. It is a matter of grave concern. Last election has displayed for all to behold and bewildered. When MLAs have no fear of God, then it is a very precarious situation, maybe beyond redemption. Therefore, none should be surprised to learn that Goa has had a systematic shift from a peaceful haven to a coal dust and a gambling/party destination. “Bhivpachi Garaz Na,” come to Goa; it’s time for dum maro dum.
Will the Arpora Inferno wake up Goans? Or is it time to play the requiem? Since the liberation, the subsequent governments, one worse than the other, have systematically planned the destruction of Goa. The Goa of yesteryears and the Goa of today are unrecognisable, and the worst is still yet to come. The problems Goa is facing are manmade, and for the major part, politicians are responsible. If the people are seriously contemplating avoiding the destruction of Goa, then now is the time to rise up and unite for a common cause. It is no time to be naïve but politically savvy, to oust the charlatans who have betrayed the state over and over again. Bhivpachi Garaz Assa. Therefore, it is imperative that people realise that the enormous environmental damage caused is irrevocable and the change in demographics due to migration and immigration is substantial.
Few years back, people desired to come to Goa; now, at the very mention of the name Goa, people think about high prices, crimes, robbery, police harassment, extortion, drugs, sex, and gambling. Remember, the problems that threaten Goa’s unique identity are ripping through the environment and the economic and social fabric. Such a trajectory will certainly deter high-value tourists from
coming to the state. Goa will end up with only those who like dum maro dum, as more
Aropra-like infernos are in waiting.
(The author is a Priest)
