Decades ago, every Goan knew one popular sport and that was football widely played after an afternoon siesta in every corner of Goan villages. It was sports that united Goans together apart from the traditional feasts, zatras, tiatrs celebrated through the year. Be it religious or social festival, Goans have always been together, rejoicing and sharing the glory of the day. Time has changed with the period of time since then. The football grounds we played on were not big stadiums but paddy fields, open properties those are now turned into concrete, fortified jungles. There are hardly open places left in the villages where cattle grazed. Children played in the village hamlet known as “waddo or vaddo” which are now been rechristened as Nagars by non-Goan settlers. Children are found glued to their television sets after studies; they hardly find time to play. The burden of load of books has almost crippled their backs.
Unlike today’s era, not many had a watch on their wrists. Sunset was the natural clock to be home for the evening rituals. Today’s Goa is a changed place in a modern scenario. At sunset, Goa wakes up to musical extravaganza and late night parties. Life has taken a different shape diluting our age old culture and traditions. Our honesty is bruised by dishonest politicians and looters who are ruining Goa. The culture of casinos, rave parties, discos, night bazaars, sale of killer drugs and other vices has taken over our ‘susegad’ nature. All modern entertainment has corrupted true Goan culture. High end corruption has raised it’s head over good governance, greatly patronized by our politicians who have their fingers in every corrupt pie of the state. It has given rise to crime which fattening the pockets of the many corrupt police officials. The crime detection and conviction rate is on the lowest ebb.
Presently, the war against crime and corruption is mainly anchored on the principles of loose investigation, arrest in cases of the lesser powerful person and prosecution of a few suspected offenders who later come out on bail. This can be likened to mowing a lawn, sooner or later, the grass will grow again. To effectively fight crime and corruption, its roots must be uprooted. Today, even an ordinary panchayat member flaunts wealth with no source of known legitimate income, drives costly vehicles not proportionate to the known source of income. Hasn’t corruption the main source of livelihood in these type of cases? Hasn’t corruption grew from the panchayat level? Goa is like an engine-less boat in the ocean, it would need a dedicated and experienced team and crew to sail it ashore.
At the moment, only the sincere press and correspondents are painstakingly steering it rightly. Poor leadership culture has contributed to the collapse of key public infrastructure and utilities. Goa has now become a popular reference point for sex, drugs and a favorite hiding place for high profile criminals.
The present administration has voluntarily ignored several opportunities to create jobs and legitimate wealth for the Goans. Unlike in the pre-colonial era when all forms of corruption were seriously frowned at, people now openly celebrate with known corrupt politicians by throwing lavish parties and praising muscle power. While very many do so because of poverty, others do it in order to secure political affiliation. Poverty has virtually turned few Goans into praise singers. We have found out that praise singing is one sure way through which they could benefit from the dividends of political patrons immaterial of their social profile. Today, Goa is searching for it’s lost glory. Only God help.
