Surely, the reply to this question is an emphatic YES. And the process, which seems to be now in top gear, is regrettably irreversible. While there are many who are responsible for this distressing fate of ours, let us not shirk off our own role in this unfortunate development, which was surely avoidable, especially if our own elected representatives had looked after our and Goa’s interests, instead of their own. But we shouldn’t also conveniently ignore the part which we, ourselves, played in voting for these people, solely to safeguard not Goa’s but our own interests, despite knowing their background and antecedents.
Goans were meek and tolerant enough to accept India’s sovereignty, without a murmur, though they could have followed the example of the people of East Timor, who fought for over two decades against Indonesian occupation and brutal rule. But, fighters, we never were, and hence, the governments both here and at the Centre, take undue advantage of our docility, as they know fully well that any fight, which we may put up, will only last a few days. Governments of India, both past and present, failed to reciprocate the gracious gesture of the Goans in accepting Goa’s merger with India, lock, stock and barrel, without any privileges. Even our unanimous demand in the Assembly for special status, which Prime Minister Modi himself had also accepted, when he expressed his happiness that we wanted it to maintain our identity and not for financial help, was rejected. It did not behove of the PM to go back on his word. India would have gained immensely in prestige and monetarily too, had Goa been showcased as a State, where East meets West, with a different culture and identity, with great potential for responsible and attractive tourism, which would particularly benefit the local populace. But, it appears that India’s motives and strategy were exactly the opposite: change Goa’s demographics, wipe off all traces of Western culture, erase Goa’s identity and ensure total emotional and cultural integration, particularly with uncontrollable immigration and encouraging further exodus of Goans so as to make the original Goans, not alone a minority, which we probably already are, but irrelevant.
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Goa has become a corridor and a land to be used and abused by outsiders and industrialists, with total disregard and contempt for the interest and concerns of the locals. The 73rd and 74th Amendments have been simply ignored with the State government taking decisions on projects in villages, as if gram sabhas do not exist.
Goa is losing its sheen and shine, its identity and charm. Every second person, Goan or otherwise, avers and laments that Goa is finished. I met recently a group of taxi drivers, who expressed the same view (Goem kabar), though they themselves are, in great measure, responsible for this situation, due to their unreasonable demands, fleecing of clients and use of muscle power. The absence of Goans is already being felt, especially among the Catholic population, with people claiming that some of our villages are getting empty. I visited Anjuna recently and walked down over 2 km on the beach and could not find a single Goan around. Not only restaurants but also groceries shops and vegetable outlets are being run by non-Goans, at least around the beach. Some outsiders, speaking only Hindi, charge Rs 100 for parking of vehicles, perhaps in no man’s land. Not many foreign tourists are to be seen in Goa, which is a clear indication that tourism is declining and so is foreign exchange. The dwindling footfalls at Dabolim are too evident to be ignored, giving ample signs of imminent closure of this airport and consequent long travels from South to Mopa. However, tourists from the rest of India continue to flock to Goa and reportedly they are better spenders than the foreign ones. Simultaneously, footpath tourism is also on the rise, thanks to the complacency of police, municipalities and panchayats.
There has been, undoubtedly, much progress, but in many ways, it has been detrimental to Goa’s interests. It ought to have been better regulated to ensure that people’s health and livelihood were not affected. Goa’s attraction as a tourist destination is on the wane. Goans themselves express a sense of frustration at the lack of discipline, particularly on the roads, bureaucratic delays, filth and garbage around, dogs and cattle everywhere, even on the beaches, slums and footpath dwellers, the levels of honesty and probity in public life descending to abysmal levels, nepotism and bribery in allotment of jobs and contracts, depriving deserving Goans. Goa getting an award for good governance is a joke, unless there is none in other States. Every State protects locals, but not Goa. The situation is chaotic even to resident Goans and much more to non-residents, who are used to some levels of discipline, order and honesty. Unemployment and frustration, particularly among youth, led to an alarming exodus of Goans, for better financial possibilities and education of children. Sadly, there were no attempts by the government to arrest or reverse this trend. On the contrary, when the attention of a former CM was drawn, he gleefully retorted ‘Vochum dhi re tankam’. Regretfully, salaries in Goa are extremely low, and Goans find it difficult to get jobs on merit, as they are allegedly on sale or given to relatives and friends of politicians.
Having taken an attitude of ‘mhaka kiteak poddlam’, in the past, we have reached almost a point of no return. Today, various communities are fighting this fascist government on issues concerning their lives, health and livelihoods. While violence and taking law in one’s own hands, must be shunned, let us all join hands and be assertive and forceful and not rest until our demands and rights are vindicated.
(The author is a retired banker)
