Those who love and care for Goa will never think of making or supporting Goa Files

“Chronology Samjhiye”, (understand chronology) is one of the most famous phrases in the history of Indian politics  After Kshmir Files and Kerala Files, a hardline religious outfit is proposing Goa Files based on what they propound were “atrocities on Hindus” during the Portuguese regime.

Incidentally, this outfit is openly aligned with the views of Goa’s ruling dispensation, especially its recent remarks of wiping out “signs” and remnants of the Portuguese era and its decision to identify and rebuild temples ostensibly destroyed during Portuguese rule.

Any ruling establishment that governs with love and affection and embraces all, will never back such narratives

Goa’s biggest asset is its harmonious relationship and strong social fabric of peace. Any establishment that governs with affection and warmth and embraces its society and its people, will not need to resort to resurrecting fragments of history that are buried deeply, that can only cause pain and unhappiness.

After all, leadership is about taking all in one’s fold and not just a fragmented half that can help win elections, because winning elections alone cannot be the sole motive of leadership.

Therefore, the chronology of the file films needs to be understood. The Kashmir Files was released just before the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections in Rajasthan and Gujarat. The Kerala Files was released before the Karnataka elections. And now the Hindu Janjagrati Samiti, on the eve of the All India Hindu Rashtra Convention at Ramnathi in Ponda, wants to discuss making a film called Goa Files. So is Goa Files being planned to be released before the big elections in 2024?

The narrative, which comes barely a week after an official declaration of intent to wipe out signs of the Portuguese influence in a 500-plus year existence in Inda, is interesting because of its timing. 

The Kashmir Files narrative was the purported “atrocities” on Kashmiri Pundits.

In the Kerala Files, a Shalini (Adah) from Kerala, is pushed towards converting to Islam. She is not aware that she is falling into a trap that leads to becoming a terrorist. Soon she is forced to join the ISIS.

Many commentators, writers and even mainstream filmmakers have questioned what they felt were distorted facts. The bigger question being raised is whether these films were made and released to connect the narrative to the two main communities and evoke feelings of division and hatred. That is the core of the issue – the intent of the filmmakers of these films, even more than the reality of the facts.

Is there a need to make a film called Goa Files, with the intent to provoke and evoke sentiments of disharmony?

The events being sought to be highlighted, without going into their merits, are five centuries-plus old. Goans have lived in harmony, peace and in the spirit of brotherhood even before the Portuguese came, and carried on with the same unity across centuries and for sixty-plus years and counting after 1961 when the Portuguese left.

Can a bottle of the red ink of divisiveness be poured into the ocean of harmony, and turn it red?

How was the thought of making Goa Files, taking inspiration from the Kashmir Files and Kerala Files, infused? Can it be based on the need for young Goans “to know Goa’s history” in the words of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti? Or is it the need to polarize a harmonious society that has never been polarized?

This is Goa, where special prayers will be held for people of the cyclone-hit Gujarat

In Goa, the love of mankind is above all else. When news of Cyclone Biparjpoy hitting the Gujarat coast with a windspeed of close to 140 kms/hour spread in Goa, it was no surprise when this writer heard from communities in Goa, as well as priests, that special prayers for the potential cyclone victims in Gujarat, would be held. This is the spirit of Goa, not today, but for close to 600 years or even more.

Yet, it isn’t so difficult to guess why a hardline and hardcore religious outfit in Goa would want to resurrect fragments of a past and propose a museum around those events. Would this outfit ever propose a museum of culture, the arts, musical instruments, literature and traditional craft? Unlikely, because these would be museums of harmony and that goes against the intended purpose of ‘divide and rule’.

How does a hardline religious outfit have the audacity to attempt creating cracks in society when none exist?

The Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has settled in Ramnathi, the seat of the Sanatan Sanstha in Ponda for years. While linkages with friendly political parties that have ruled or supported the government are no secret, it appears to have taken a step further by declaring its kinship with the establishment by declaring that it would help the government “identify” places where temples were destroyed by the Portuguese. Incidentally, in over a year the archaeology and the archives department doesn’t have data on these supposedly destroyed temples and have asked for an extension till December 31 to submit their reports. So, is the outfit planning to ‘curate’ data and hand it over to the government, and that too with no authority?

Those wanting to warm their political plates in the fires of divisiveness should know that it will never work in Goa. Goans may have differences and rivalries and display open anger and conflict. But they have forever only allowed their faiths to be enablers of harmony, not dividers.

And what is even more important, is that any such attempts will only help Goans close ranks and not let any harm be inflicted on its social fabric, even if some planted political B teams try to. And Goans from all walks of life understand clearly that the ravaging and destruction of Goa and the falling quality of life and civic infrastructure, coupled with sinking jobs and opportunities, are the real ‘Goa Files’ that need to be discussed and the government held accountable for.