There is a big hue and cry over the Supreme Court’s directives of closing the bars along the state and national highways. And rightly so! People are worried of their livelihood. People have been thriving on their trade for decades altogether. The state government’s sleeping over this directive for such a long period is very much questionable. Where was the government sleeping for a long period?
But, there is a big butt! The SC cannot be blind to the people’s misery at the same time. Banning the sale of liquor by the highways or roadside is not the solution to prevent any accidents. The SC should have had larger view on this subject before giving its final verdict. Every state should have had given a chance to forward its views.
Why Goa and Goans should not think that the SC is playing into the hands of the fascist government at the Centre?
The failure on the government agencies to check the drunken driving or implementing the right procedures to check-mate the drinking doesn’t mean the SC should act in such a harsh manner. Goa is a small place and every road and junction is passing through the town or city. And we Goans have lived the life for centuries together socially. If at all the SC wishes to implement its order, the roads passing through any town or city should not be considered because no big lorry or the driver will ever attempt to stop by the city road and jump into the bar to drink.
I for one strongly feel, the SC is playing into the hands of those who dream of making Goa a dry state. There are strong under-currents towards this goal. Goans cannot be silent spectators on this front lest we shall be taken for damn donkey ride. The worse problem is that the present blind and U-turning Goa government will wash its hands and the incoming government will have to dance to the tunes of the SC. The Goan culture is at stake. A time may come when meat may be banned from the highways or the restaurants. Goans wake up to these realities.
