Joel Morais
The real beauty of my Goa of those days cannot be described in words. Her sons and daughters were, and still are very well known to the world for all sort of decent, broadminded thinking. For a niz Goemkar, Goenkarponn is our religion and he/she will never ever use it for political gains. Soon after liberation, the first elected government of Goa tried very much to merge Goa into Maharashtra and finish the identity of Goa for all but the daring sons and daughters of Goa of those days stood strong and tall destroying, through the Opinion Poll, the plans of the then MGP government.
Today’s Goa is something else. Our beautiful hills which form a strong part of our identity have been converted into slums to create vote banks. Our fertile fields which are a major part of our identity are killed almost on a daily basis in the name of total unplanned development. Our rivers are our treasure and shortly mafias will have control over our sacred rivers. Goa is all about scenic greenery and our own people in power intend to sell the greenery in exchange of coal. Coconut trees, old Portuguese era houses, historic chapels/temples are the strong branches of the tree of our identity but our own elected governments allowed the cutting of thousands of coconut trees to make way for a beer factory when Goa never ever fell short of beer. Our own elected people are supporting the destruction of Goa’s old aged structures in exchange of doubling of railway tracks for the transportation of coal. Is this not killing of our identity?
Some fanatic from somewhere enters Goa and says, people consuming beef should be hanged in public and we all turn deaf. Someone from somewhere comes and preaches us with their narrow-minded talk. Is this not a threat to our identity? Goa is known for sun, sea and sand which form the integral part of our identity and we have badly disturbed them. If we don’t change our behaviour right now, we all will have to pay severely some day and the day is not very far. Our wells provided us with pure and healthy water and people in power allowed industries which polluted Goa’s ground water. Is this not the attempt to murder on our identity?
Our real asmitai is not just about zagor and celebrating anniversaries. Celebrating histories is good but carrying forward the vision of the Opinion Poll leaders is of utmost importance and necessity. Goa is known for her great past but are we marching towards progressive future? Will our generations who are yet to see the light of this world be able to enjoy the fruits of the trees planted by the Opinion Poll leaders? Only time will tell us but sadly we will not live then.
Last but not the least, our ancestors handed over rich and precious Goa to us but most of us failed to protect and preserve what they handed over. Sadly the few who are working tirelessly to save the little beautiful remains of Goa are just disappearing.
