While Goans continue to grapple with umpteen issues affecting their lives and livelihood that cry for urgent attention, such as rising unemployment, escalating prices of fuel and essential commodities, unmotorable roads, frequent power outages, water shortages, environmental degradation, , the CM of Goa, who is duty bound to look after the welfare of all its citizenry has deliberately chosen to turn a nelson’s eye to these core concerns and instead has adopted the role of a Pied-Piper playing tunes of temples restoration and forced conversion. That such gimmickry is being played to sow seeds of suspicion, discord and antagonism between communities for self-gain to win the upcoming panchayat elections with an eye on the 2024 parliamentary elections, apparently at the behest of his party masters, is anybody’s guess.
It is not surprising to watch opportunists and those in political asylum suddenly getting emboldened to capitalise on the lead given by the CM at putting their hands to stirring the communal cauldron and hog once again the eluding limelight with false narratives and provocative propaganda. Goans have sadly watched these freebooters, posing as protectors of faith, culture and traditions, despicably rake up controversies to fool the people with the aim of pursuing their own selfish agendas.
It is my firm conviction that Goans will not fall prey to such chicanery but stay united and pursue the path of fraternity, peace, respect and good-will that is the essence of true Goykarponn as a strong antidote to the venom of hatred that is being viciously spewed with malicious intentions, in these times when all people and nations want to live in fraternal peace, good-will and harmony.
I wish to make a humble appeal to the government in power: stop turning this peaceful state of Goa into another laboratory to test and further the ominous Hindutva agenda that is detrimental and discordant to our age-old unity in diversity. Instead of taking Goans back to the bygone era of chivalry and warfare and taxing the already overburdened common man to pursue your agenda that is myopic, discriminatory and diversionary, you would do well if exigent measures to mitigate the plight of the poor and needy who sweat blood to pay your every bill, while focussing on building a happy and sustainable future for our children and our children’s children.
To all those wasting their energies into dividing communities on communal lines, work, I entreat these brethren, to instead direct their energies and resources to help alleviate the miseries of the common man and address the needs of the poor and those living on the fringes of society. Let’s maintain Amchem bhangarachem Goem this precious and exquisite jewel on the west coast of India, for what it is a paragon of inter-faith harmony and a welcoming home for everyone, irrespective of caste, colour, language, creed or religion.
Let’s all dream, live and work together for peace and harmony, for this is the need of the hour.
