I came to India with joy in my heart and song on my lips. The unfolding reality in India, as viewed on TV screens and reading of newspapers, has wounded my heart and my hope of a better India in my lifetime is slowly getting destroyed. Frankly, I have nursed a deep hope for India to escape from its age-old trap of rigid traditionalism that has kept most of its population encased in societal and religious boundaries. The events that have taken place in the country since my coming more than a month ago have befuddled me. In my last column, I expressed regret over Goa seemingly falling apart.
As a student of Indian history and politics, I keep closely attuned to the daily events – political, cultural and societal – happenings in India. It’s an obsessive passion, though at times I feel to sever my ties to my homeland. Truth to tell, the trend of events happening day in and day out keep my interest burning. Now that the BJP government proclaims that there’s a new India, I fail to understand its polemics. What’s happening in many States gives away the lie that the country has woken up to a new dawn.
I starkly remember the sage Rabindranath Tagore’s words, “Perhaps the new dawn will come from this horizon, from the East where the sun rises; and then, unvanquished man will retrace his path of conquest, despite all barriers, to win back his lost heritage. “Will Tagore’s hope — and wish — ever come true? Or, will India trundle down on the path of perdition?
It’s my earnest hope that this country will recover and track back to its pristine image in the world. It would take a stronger political will to pull back the country to a stable and disciplinary State that will earn it respect and admiration from the rest of the world. I wouldn’t want to see India go the way of Pakistan, a confirmed “failed State”.
Last week was particularly disturbing for me. The rape of the vet in Hyderabad and the subsequent action of the police in liquidating the accused on alleged “encounter”, a dreaded word in India’s legal dictionary, has stunned me into disbelief. Not that “encounter” is a new term I have encountered, but that its use in the modern-age is blatantly repressive. India is Rule of Law country, and though the wheels of the justice system grind slowly, the way the Hyderabad police acted is unforgivable. There’s no joy is celebrating such extra-judicial killing even though the rape was dastardly.
No doubt, it reminded me of the Nirbhaya incident in India and also how some of the accused are still living. However, human rights activists and proponents of civil society must raise their voices to get the justice delivery system on the promised fast-track. Promises and slogans can win political battles but the women of the country first need safeguards and assurance that governments, at the Centre and States, will get into the act of having fast-track courts.
Sadly, the legal system in India is under a cloud. The Supreme Court as well as lower-level courts must stay independent of executive influence. It’s sad to learn that even ministers, including one in Goa, and MLAs are facing rape charges. It brings to mind Mario Cabral e Sa’s reporting in the past in either the late 60’s or 70’s on Goa’s rape culture. No wonder the social media is full of memes depicting India as rape public. Yes, too many rapes have bewildered not just local citizenry as well some OCIs like me currently holidaying in Goa.
I am well aware of how a Goan minister has taken exception to criticism by OCIs, or rather Portuguese-passport holders, in pointing the evils in the governance in Goa. Newspaper editorials must have sunk in his mind, and hence his mea culpa. But am surprised that someone like him should venture out to slam the OCIs. I suppose this government only wants hand-clapping by the OCIs. Indeed, Goa’s progress has been tiringly slow.
Young Goans, who are particularly eligible to vote, should show that they don’t have “poisoned minds” by voting out motor-mouths and guilt-ridden politicians. Goans need to judge the politicos on the merit of the work they do. I spent over a week in Calangute during the Hippie era and saw first-hand how they lived and how they indulged in drugs and “free love”. In later years, I spent a few days at the Jesuit Retreat House, atop the Baga hill, as a guest of the late Fr Antonio Pereira.
In my last column, I said Goa lives in my heart and soul. A thousand Michael Lobos will not stop me from voicing my concern, my praise and my feeling for the Goa that I saw as a youngster and youth. That Goa is sadly missing. I don’t know if I will be ever back in Goa again (this should gladden Michael’s heart and I can hear his muted whisper telling me to “get lost”). It has been a sickening “summer” in Nov-Dec and short trips to Margao, GMC and for GALF at the International Centre have sucked the vigour that I came with to experience Goa.
(Eugene Correia is a
senior journalist)
