The last few weeks’ headlines in the Goan dailies makes some sickening reading. Reading such news early in the morning has an absolute “Negative effect” on one’s mood and literally spoils your day. Specially in a place like Goa the incidents that one reads about today are totally contrary to our traditions and culture. Where has our peace and tranquillity of the pre-liberation days Gone? How come all we read and hear about today is – molestations, rapes, murders, accidents, road rage, burglaries, live-in relationships and their ill-consequences and so on ? Worse still, how is it that these are on the increase despite higher literacy, higher incomes, more luxuries, better utility services- such as sufficient food, better roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, housing, good communications, better mobility, democracy and above all the so called “rule of law”. The answer is very simple. We have lost our sense of morals. Imagine teachers themselves who are supposed to be an epitome of good behaviour are today involved in sexual exploitation of their students and have to be suspended! (Ref Herald 2nd September 2023) Ministers and senior government officers who are supposed to be public servants, involved in corruption ! While our older generation is shocked by the daily news of immoral activities on a regular basis because for them this is not normal, children of the new generation are so exposed to such happenings that they will grow up believing that these are normal ways of life. In fact the news-paper publishers should make it a point not to publish items related to violence and immorality on the front pages but put them somewhere in the back pages as a separate section where they don’t attract much attention. The headlines should cover the achievements and aspirations of our society.
The Portuguese left Goa as a very cultured, peace loving, complacent (read Sossegado) harmonious both with man and nature, crime free and a highly law abiding society. It was this tranquillity and the hospitable nature of Goans that attracted people from all over the world to Goa not only as tourists but also as permanent settlers post liberation. However this tranquillity and culture is getting eroded at a fast pace because while many of the people in Goa or for that matter in our country are literate but not educated. I say this because true education lies in the mental, physical and the moral development of the person. While most of our homes and schools provide for the mental and physical well being of our youth, they have failed in the third dimension and that is morality. To quote a simple example, the ten commandments which are nothing but the natural laws for a healthy living, talk of how one can live a good life without hurting the other. – Honour your father and mother, Do not Kill, Do not steal, Do not commit adultery, Do not give false witness, etc. are the simple rules that our society is most in need of if our country is going to achieve any semblance of peace, harmony and progress.
The solution lies in reintroducing Moral science (as it used to be many decades ago) through religious teachings or otherwise in the class rooms. Good manners, proper lifestyles, concern for each other, sound religious principles of various religions, good habits avoiding and prevention of vices and violence, etc should be given top priority even more than other information based subjects. It is only when such good qualities are instilled in our citizens, then India will emerge as a truly great nation- free of violence and corruption.
