If Goans have been fuming and protesting, for a long time, over the destruction of their beautiful land, the unplanned development and the harm being caused to the environment, which could lead to serious unimaginable consequences, they are now angry, revolted and alarmed at the ongoing spate of murders. This total collapse of law and order has immensely sullied the reputation of the State and left both residents and tourists in a state of shock, with Goa not only turning into an unsafe destination but running the risk of being labelled “the murder capital of India”. Just like deaths in road accidents, we are now losing count of murders in Goa.
“The sun, sand and rocking nightlife of the famed beaches of Goa hide a dark underbelly: The iconic holiday destination has claimed the lives of roughly 20 foreigners every year in the last decade or so”, a national daily had reported in April 2017, quoting a RTI information that there were 245 deaths of foreign tourists in previous 12 years.
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In 2020, rapes in Goa stood at 61, with 66% of victims being minors; the average rate of rape was 7.8%, higher than the national average of 4.3%; there was an increase of 73% in crimes in Goa and 34 murders. On the bright side, no acid attacks or dowry deaths were reported in 2020.
The Home Minister, who often loses a good opportunity to remain silent, recently, advised journalists to engage in constructive and not destructive criticism, adding that adverse reporting could mar the reputation of the State. Firstly, may I ask the CM whether he and his Ministers read newspapers and if at all some of them do, how many are inclined to or have implemented, good suggestions made in the Press? Away from my topic, just to quote a sample one, a suggestion often repeated by me in the Press: Will this Government take urgent initiative to start regular and efficient city transport, which would create employment and obviate the need to use private vehicles thus saving precious fuel, people’s expenditure and lessening traffic jams and parking problems?
Coming back to law and order, are the above statistics, published by National Crimes Record Bureau, any credit to Goa or to this Government? The indictment of Goa Police by Hyderabad Police Commissioner over drugs issue and the disappointment expressed by the family of Sonali Phogat of Police mishandling the case right from the beginning and their reluctance to seek the presence of family members for the probe, with possible attempt at covering up the case, only confirm the repeated allegations by Goans of Police not cooperating in many such cases.
Surely, we do not expect the Police to be omnipresent to avoid murders, rapes and other law and order incidents. But do the Home Minister and Goa Police frankly think that we would have reached this stage of lawlessness, had enforcement of laws and crackdown on drug dealers been more severe and efficient? Just like the Nigerian goons scared the Goa policemen, some years back, are they now afraid of drug lords, who are very rich and powerful, or are these very factors influencing their actions or of their masters? If not, why doesn’t this Government, that seems so concerned about its reputation, go hammer and tongs against drug dealers or is there a reason, easily guessed by us, like the soft corner it has for casinos, which the former chief minister, while in Opposition in 2012, called “dens of vice”, but embraced and pampered them a little later? Isn’t this Government ashamed of the incoherence in what it says and does?
Murders are, of late, becoming nearly an everyday occurrence, but what is more disgusting and shameful are the accusations flying on the face of the Police of their reluctance and delay in registering FIRs, or of failing to follow normal procedures or shoddy investigations being carried out. In the case of Sonali Phogat, the CM had said “From preliminary reports of doctors and DGP, it appears to be heart attack” To quote only a few other famous cases are those of Scarlet, Fr Bismarque Dias, Danielle McLaughlin, Felix Dahl and Siddhi Naik, where foul play was suspected and the Police allegedly botched up the cases to avoid the truth from coming out or perhaps to protect some influential or sponsored criminals. These are not the only ones, there are many more, but the poor families of the victims, already broken and depressed with the tragic deaths of their dear ones, lack strength to follow up or are unwilling to spend time and lakhs with advocates and Courts. Sonali, being a BJP functionary, the case was handed over to CBI but the law is not equal for others, as in Siddhi Naik’s case, it has been closed, despite protests from her family and activists.
Recently, the CM, who suffers from luso phobia, accused the Portuguese of looting Goa. I am not aware if they did, but what I surely know is that Goan politicians have looted Goa much more. The substandard works and jobs worth crores allotted to favourites without tender, justify our suspicions of underhand dealings.
On a final note on law and order, permit me to draw the attention of our Home and Chief Minister to Portugal’s Health Minister recent resignation, accepting responsibility for the death of a pregnant Indian tourist, who was refused admission in a hospital for want of vacancy. This was a great example of accountability, similar to Lal B Shastri’s resignation as Railway Minister in 1956, when a train accident killed 144 people. It is surely too much for us to expect our Ministers to follow such gold standards set even by Indian politicians like Shastri.
(The author is a retired banker)
