Though some local newspapers tried to downplay the incident at Khandepar in Ponda by not reporting the slapping of a tourist from Telangana for urinating in front of a shop belonging to a local, the unfortunate skirmish cannot and should not be overlooked as just another stray incident of street brawl between groups.
First and foremost let me clarify that we aver to the thought that urinating in open is a terrible scourge that has lowered the bar of the nation by several notches. We fully uphold the initiatives taken by the country through diverse means to educate the public to root out this menace from their inglorious culture once and for all.
Having said that I would want to ask one question – if the person urinating was a local would the bystanders dare to slap him? Is not seeing people relieving themselves in public, also in Goa, not an uncommon sight even in the present time of so much of awakening against the social evil? If not we would not be saying that we want to be a defecation-free state at the earliest. That apart this repellent habit of people feeling at ease to answer nature’s call is a legacy of our countrymen since ages and it would take time to eradicate the disgusting habit. Have we forgotten that just last month the video of a Union Minister urinating in public went viral except that he was well secured by his faithful bodyguards from any unprecedented eventualities!
The intent behind this writing is to highlight the skewed mentality of the locals against the outsiders even though they are the honoured tourists to our state. When the said tourist dirtied the premises there was an option available to the local to report the matter to the authorities but taking law in their hands, irrespective of who they are, is unacceptable.
Though there will be many around who would try and overlook the episode that it is tantamount to making mountain out of mole hill, it needs to be reinforced from all that we have heard, seen and experienced that the incident is an outcome of the hate campaign against the outsiders and the implicit animosity brewing within is only reflected through such happenings. This is the second case in as many months that a tourist was slapped by the local. It is time that government builds toilets at least along state and national highways with prominent signages to assist the tourists.
