The very strong and aggressive reaction of Benaulim locals to the ‘lamani’ community that has been conducting business in the village for many years now is not only unconstitutional but also quite quirky given the fact that Goans viewed similarly as ‘outsiders’ in many places where they have migrated the most recent being the United Kingdom.
The present fracas at Benaulim has resulted in the Goans getting united to close down around 40 shops that were being managed by members of the ‘Banjara Samaj’ more commonly called ‘lamanis’ in Goa.
What is particularly irksome is the fact that some of them have been running the business for more than 20 years and have their families living in Benaulim and their children have studied in Goa and even graduated.
Conducting business for so many years they have developed a close relationship with the owners of the land and gained their trust but all that now stands shaken as the villagers have pressurized the owners to tell their lamani tenants to close down their business.
Most of the traders have taken huge loans to purchase the material stocked in their shops and they were relying upon the tourism season to sell their goods and recover their money. But that appears doubtful now as disclosed by a tearful Suresh Rathod.
“I have been conducting business for the last 40 years and we are only trying to progress for our children so that they do not have to undergo the hardships we went,” said Suresh. Interestingly the Lamani community is recognized as Scheduled Caste in Karnataka and as Scheduled Tribe in Telangana while Maharashtra has classified them as Gorboli which is akin to Other Backward Community.
“We are hardworking people who have all these years contributed to the Goan economy by being a part of the tourism industry by selling wares on the beaches,” said Ganesh Lamani, General Secretary of the All Goa Lambani Welfare Association.
That the children of the original lamanis who had come to Goa have become part of the Goan society is evident as they have studied in Goan schools and colleges and in fact Ganesh Lamani is presently teaching at a higher secondary school.
The present spat has occurred apparently because of one Vasu Malgimani who has obtained a license to drive a taxi and this is irritating the locals who are upset that their occupation will now be taken over by the lamani community.
The issue had come up last year and the Banjara Samaj had assured the locals that they will ask Vasu not to ply his taxi in Benaulim area. However, as Ganesh Lamani admitted Vasu has rejected their request and wants to ply his taxi as he is empowered to do as per the laws of the land.
Ganesh also points out that they are demeaned by being called “ghanti” in a derogatory term and even threatened to file a complaint before the National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe against Manoj Parab of Revolutionary Goans for calling them “ghanti” all the time.
As Dr Aldina Braganza who teaches psychology at Carmel College says this brouhaha is actually related to finances and that it has erupted because the tourism industry is facing a slump. “When tourism was booming we only invited and accommodated the lamanis in Goa and today we are feeling threatened because tourism is experiencing a slump,” she said.
This argument holds water as earlier this year there was a hue and cry over the government introducing GoaMiles an app-based taxi service which threatened the tourist taxi owners and there were various skirmishes at different places with Colva having most of them.
The tourist taxi owners were threatened with the app-based taxi service as they offered lower rates as compared to what the tourist taxi owners charge. “The tourist taxi owners charge the fare and also the return journey as they return empty while the app-based taxi wait at that place till they get another customer to go back and hence their rates are lower,” argued the taxi drivers.
While pointing out that tourists visit Goa for a specific reason, Dr Aldina lamented that Goans appear to be killing the goose laying the golden egg as tourists are now staying away from Goa because of dirt and squalor seen all around; and also because of the manner in which, they are harassed when relaxing on the beach.
Sayali Gaunkar who teaches Sociology at Chowgule College pointed out that the Indian Constitution gives every Indian the right for free movement in the county and to earn their livelihood anywhere in the country and pointed out that Goans have used this law to settle in various parts of the country including Mumbai where there is a sizeable Goan population.
She argued that Goans migrating to UK has a historical background including the Anglo Goan treaty of 1879 where Goans were accepted as Europeans and said the present conflict Goans are having with lamanis should result in smooth functioning following a conflict as sociologists believe.
“Personally I think we should embrace others and progress together,” she said while pointing out that Goans had initially welcomed the lamanis and even at present are helping them.
As a local Francisco Fernandes put it “this issue would have died a natural death only if Vasu Malgimani had to stop plying is taxi in Benaulim as we had no problem if he operated elsewhere.” However Vasu’s refusal to bow down to brow beating tactics and standing up for his rights has resulted in this turmoil in Benaulim.
