We, Goans, have suffered immensely due to our proverbial disunity on various issues affecting us. This allowed our rulers to exploit and take us for granted. They always feel confident that any movement or agitation will fizzle out within days, as we lack tenacity and persistence to follow up cases to their logical end. Sadly, the Courts too have not been of much help in expediting cases brought up before them. Instead of pulling up functionaries for inaction or complicity, people who spend much energies and finances in taking up cases in public interest, are made to feel helpless and discouraged with long and constant adjournments and procedural delays.
We witnessed some turnaround in this attitude during the consultation process of Coastal Zone Management Plan, where people displayed their displeasure at the way the Government went about drawing this plan. It was a welcome departure from our past laissez faire laissez aller attitude, with an unprecedented turnout, where the Minister had to face the wrath of the people.
Goans need to remain ever vigilant and united. The consequences of refusing to demand safeguards when Goa was merged into India, by those who wished to be in good books with the rulers, are there for everyone to see. Pleas for Special Status to maintain our identity and not for financial help have been forcefully turned down, despite promises, even from the present PM. Uncontrolled and possible deliberate influx of migrants to outnumber Goans, rise in fascism and recent developments over Kashmir, have brought apprehensions, hopefully unjustified, that the merger demand may be revived and even enforced by a brute majority of those who do not believe in democracy and in the say of the affected people.
The man responsible for according Marathi equal status with Konkani as the Official Language is now in the news for some preposterous utterances which could only be forgiven if one has to consider that senility may have set in. He had ridiculed Goans for going to UK and taking up menial jobs. He himself and many others are responsible for the sad exodus of Goans, due to unavailability of jobs. He conveniently ignored these reasons and that there is dignity in every job performed with honesty. Unlike feudal lords who have exploited the farmers and others of their rights, these our humble brothers and sisters earn honestly their daily bread with whatever jobs available to support their families, some of them left behind in Goa, much against their will. Trying to make his presence felt, he has recently made a call for banishment from Goa of green activists, whom he particularly blames for the closure of mining activities, which has thrown thousands out of employment. In fact, it is his Party which is responsible for this unfortunate situation, created by illegal mining and which deprived our exchequer of thousands of crores of rupees. Neither this impoverished Government nor the Opposition has the guts to even demand, leave alone proceed to recover this loot. This is because people from both sides of the fence are beneficiaries of the mining lobby. Hence, the silence over this recovery which ought to have been a priority considering the financial situation of mining dependents. Goans have, by now seen through the manoeuvres and manipulations of rulers we have had. They kicked one Party out only to get another worse, which eventually managed to limp to power with the crutches of some traitors, who ultimately, in another treacherous twist of events, were shown the door.
It is God’s mercy that has saved us, several times, of disastrous consequences of cyclones, which left trails of destruction in the past in coastal areas of AP and Orissa. Nature too has been kind by sparing us of its fury. We could have faced a situation similar to the one Kerala and some other States experienced due to faulty planning and greed of politicians, builders and developers. But, still, hundreds of people suffered, as never before especially in Bicholim, Pernem and Bardez; one youth lost his life by being washed away with his bike due to a swelling river and lakhs of crops destroyed. These were cultivated with great sacrifices particularly in areas like St Estevam, where Nestor Rangel and many other nature lovers are commendably encouraging community farming.
Road widening and flyovers have been done without finding proper water outlets resulting in collapse of retaining walls and roads being washed away. With only a few heavy showers, not altogether unprecedented and with dry spells in between, Goa suffered enough exposing the unpreparedness, faulty planning, greed and corruption of Government officials and politicians in connivance with other destroyers of Goa. The green activists have been shouting hoarse against these criminal acts against nature and warning about the possible disastrous consequences. We have already tasted some of them with the recent deluge that afflicted Goa. With these experiences, Goans already know who deserves to be banished from Goa or perhaps in need of some mental treatment. They know where the truth lies and that had it not been for the relentless struggle of the green activists, Goa would have suffered much more. Goans are eternally grateful to them for creating awareness and their selfless activism.
The Goa govt has played enough with the lives of Goans. Let it not dare play with Nature. The revenge could be severe. It is the people who will suffer. The Govt must stop being pawns in the hands of their masters in Delhi or the greedy local politicians, who are the primary destroyers of Goa.
(The author is a retired banker)
