Faith and Fragmentation for Power and Profit -Soter

 Lead Article in Oheraldo published on September 22, 2025

This is definitely not the Goa which we Goans have grown up in, and neither anywhere near to the progressive future we had ever dreamt of or expected. The dark politics aside, this traditional Goan community after liberation was predominantly about respect for the laws, modesty, honesty, tolerance and trust in social dealings. Added to this was the tendency to extend hospitality even to strangers in good faith. The corruption, pathetic road conditions and the hostile environments we now encounter, that is after 1970 when power and road infrastructure made their way into villages, was usually heard about in news from States beyond the border. Like it or not, probably the past which we Goans enjoyed was an aberration to be blamed on some 4 centuries of foreign rule, the hated western culture by the 'desi parivar'. If not, how does one explain such deterioration and lawlessness in a paradise within just 6 decades after so claimed liberation?

Sadly, beneath this sharp cultural contrast in regards to the rest of the country, which tourism sells as its signature brand, there is the curse of that common ugly side of a toxic mind-set draped in caste and religious entitlement which is silently destroying this unique identity. Apart from the hypocrisy of mingling in each other's religious festivals, post liberation politics has periodically witnessed sharp polarisations in Goan society every time it came to electoral choices, legislations and policies of government. The almost 3 decades of MGP and UGP tussle for power was nothing more than weaponising of caste and religion for politics. The communal dragon haunts Goa every time any political demand for justice emerges and finds favour with the minority community. Even the official language and script has not been spared from bitter differences, the justice for which is till this day being denied to the traditional script used by the minority community.

The silence of the Goan majority community, by and large, when it comes to discriminatory laws and policies of the government which target the minorities is self-explanatory. The so-called 'Persons of Goan Origin' POGO, who now beat their breasts in pride and target migrants, could not come to a consensus in 1967 on whether Goa should be merged with Maharashtra or not, thereby inviting a bitterly fought Opinion Poll. Though the anti-merger choice prevailed, it amply demonstrated the split down the middle on caste and religious lines which exists to this day. This farce of communal harmony has exposed itself even in this 21st century when it came to the choice of the medium of instruction in minority schools. Goans have not been able to arrive at a specific definition of ‘Goychi Asmitai’ which does justice to all communities. But is this ugly communal politics really about protection of religion and caste, or, are these only vehicles of a manipulative few for control of political power and economic monopoly?

The threat to Goa’s unique identity is not from external forces, it is very much from within. It’s historically well-known who invited the Portuguese to Goa and economically prospered during colonial rule, only to sing a nationalist tune and claim victimhood after liberation. This is more like what a Konkani proverb says, "Ghorcho bhedhi, bhailo chor", which means the thief is an outsider but his accomplice is an insider. The same hide and seek continues to this day. In 2009, a friend had mentioned to me how some individuals from his community were dissuading him from supporting a movement against mega housing projects in Salcete. A whisper campaign was launched that ‘the agitation was engineered by the Church to protect its political monopoly which was being threatened by the influx of the other religious community into those gated complexes’. Such double faced Goykars lead secular processions in daylight but wine and dine at communal banquets after dark.

The issues of political corruption, communalism and environmental destruction are only symptoms resulting from dark personality traits in leadership, which ride on the chariots of caste and religion to emotionally manipulate the masses and further selfish designs. These narratives of a threat to Goan identity or an ‘all is well’ propaganda are employed depending on whose political clout and business prospects are threatened or safe. Buying into this craftily scripted and choreographed drama of victimhood and external threat to distract from the ground reality only prevents Goans from arriving at any meaningful interventions to stem the rot. It is important to understand who the ultimate beneficiaries of Goa’s sell out are, often none other than fair weather Goykars who cry wolf.

It’s unfortunate that deceptive political power and economic games get reinforced by beating around the bush and brushing the dirt under the carpet with inter-religious dialogues and prayer meetings. The political polarisation, at least in Goa, has little to do with lack of understanding among Goans about each other’s faiths. The divisions we witness on various political issues are manufactured by feudal minded individuals, who weaponise caste and religion to protect their monopoly over political power and control over the economic resources. This manipulation for control of political power and business monopoly by weaponising caste and religion is far more complex and sophisticated to be remedied by PILs, inter-religious dialogues and replacing politicians. 

In such a toxic climate the dysfunctionality is both ways, the leadership and the citizens. The reactions in a predictable fashion to certain emotional triggers generated by the dark leadership only defeats the people’s control over the politics and economy. Citizens need to develop the skills to recognise the dark triad tactics of political, corporate and religious ringleaders. Emotional detachment, deep observation and critical thinking with rational responses are the antidote to this psychological disease in leadership.

From Pulpit to Podium: Holy Lies, Unholy Ties Are Defeating Democracy (Soter)

 Published as Lead Article in oHeraldo, August 25, 2025

Over the years, Goa’s politics has shown the way for the mockery of democracy. By successfully engineering defections, promoting illegalities to create vote banks, protecting such vote banks, to now, a couple of decades later, regularising these illegalities to pamper vote banks. With the recent amendments to some laws, the precedent for circumventing court verdicts against illegalities has been set. What’s even more disgracing is that all such abuse of power gets justified as the duty of law makers to draft laws that safeguard citizens and protect them from court verdicts against illegalities. The noise for relaxing the sound ban timings has now gotten louder and the public can only expect more of such nuisance to be endorsed if such political abuse is tolerated.

When illegalities get legitimised and destructive projects become part and parcel of investment promotion in governance, these are enough signs of a chronic social and political crisis. If citizens have to go to court in order to overturn the bad policies and checkmate destructive projects permitted by the very government they elect for their security and welfare, only for laws to get tweaked later to neutralise the court's directions, these are no signs of social progress but regression. Brute numbers and popularity cannot become the criteria for deciding what is ethically and morally healthy in democratic governance.

Several years ago, when a seasoned and popular politician heading the government was questioned by me in a casual conversation on his patronage to illegalities and dropping of corruption charges or reinstating of corrupt bureaucrats, which he had exposed while in the opposition, the response was, “this is compulsion of politics”. This was an honest admission which required guts.

A brief stint in active politics has shown me that survival in Goa’s politics hinges around satisfying the political financiers and pampering a significant number of unscrupulous citizens among the electorate who seek their selfish interests; this rot runs down to the gram sabha. Even some religious leaders who appear to condemn political corruption in public may have no qualms of conscience to demand undue favours from politicians in private. It’s the citizens’ misplaced expectations from the elected representatives to perform what is not their constitutional duty that sets unhealthy precedents in politics. This has only gotten more chronic over time. In this 21st century Goa, politicians with healthy principles and ethics stand no chance in elections, no matter how innocent the society may pretend to be in this current mess.

The current crisis, which Goans are faced with, is nothing but the logical consequence of throwing the baby out with the bath water, dumping a bird in hand for two in the bush and jumping from the frying pan into the fire, all under illusions and delusions of furthering political change and eradicating corruption. The misconception within the minority community, more than a decade ago, that communalism was restricted to a fringe group and a scare created by the Congress party to protect its vote bank has blown in the face. The citizens of this highly literate State, conditioned by centuries of a ‘sosegado’ culture, have been content putting God to the test by persisting in political ignorance and recklessness over the years and expecting divine wrath to strike at evil doers.

When public memory is short and coupled with an absence of a culture for critical thinking there can be no lessons learnt to prevent the repeat of past blunders. The minority community which overestimates its political nuisance value keeps consuming old wine in new bottles, now with 'desi' brands getting replaced by ‘global’ labels for the forthcoming Assembly elections in 2027. Perhaps it is the consumer fascination with Indian made foreign liquor brands which is now being replicated in the political market. Given the outcomes in the past, one can well guess the political fallout from issues like Romi script, Minority Commission and anti-conversion law being raked up before elections.

The manipulative tool of ‘Saam, Daam Dand, Bhed’ (persuasion, reward, punishment and division) employed by an authoritative regime has been effective in distracting and disrupting the political focus in the community. Further, the dysfunctional mechanism of herding, reactivity, blame displacement, victimhood and quick-fix mentality which drives people’s activism has blinded reason and aided self-destruction. With the complacency of citizens when it comes to political responsibility and their preoccupation with religious devotions and cultural entertainment 365 days of the year, where is the space and scope left for serious social and political reflection and community strategy?

The random and arbitrary street parades masterminded by self-publicity craving middlemen to protest against selective injustices and atrocities will not bring peace. Such predictive reactions fuel further polarisation and give the desired publicity for the fanatical groups to keep themselves at the centre of the public debate. The victimhood injected in the hate targeted communities makes them vulnerable to exploitation by fake messiahs who take their followers round in circles to enjoy power and money.

It was Pope Francis in his encyclical ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (brothers and sisters all) while appealing for ‘a better kind of politics’ who said, “global society is suffering from grave structural deficiencies that cannot be resolved by piece meal solutions and quick fixes. Much needs to change, through fundamental reform and major renewal…” Earlier in his apostolic exhortation ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ (the joy of the Gospel), the Pope had emphasised that ‘change is a process which matures in time and space, and not isolated events’.

As long as citizens remain trapped in the dysfunctional political dynamics, only to be controlled by manipulative political and religious leadership, the chances for any political renewal remains bleak. The cycle of control by such manipulative leadership will need to be dismantled by citizens for a different politics and leadership to emerge.

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)

Lives lost, Lessons ignored: Goa's public places are turning deadly - Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo on May 26, 2025

Goa woke up earlier this month to the shocking and sad news of a horrific stampede, a first-time-ever occurrence at a religious event, in which six precious lives were lost and several devotees injured. The myth that such incidents could only occur in other States but not in ‘sosegado Goem’ was shattered. For many, this incident brought back the memory of the deadly Mahakumbh tragedy some months ago in Uttar Pradesh.

It was lately in the month of March that the Sree Lairai Devi zatra at Shirgao, Bicholim, which draws thousands of devotees and tourists every year, was declared a State festival by the Government of Goa. Just a day before this unfortunate tragedy, it was widely publicised that the government has enhanced security arrangements for this year’s zatra with a record number of police personnel deployed with drones, riot control vehicles and plain clothes police officers for effective crowd management, to ensure a safe and smooth passage for the devotees.

This popular religious festival has been organised for decades and has always drawn huge crowds but never witnessed such a disaster. Besides some minor incidents which were heard of in the past, wherein some or the other devotee suffered from minor burn or other injuries in the melee, there has never been an incident of such magnitude leading to loss of lives. Some are now alleging that there have been a couple of deaths in the past which went unreported. Whether such deaths were related to lack of safety or health issues is uncertain.

Amidst all the allegations and counter allegations flying around was a mischievous accusation about the government ensuring safety and security for church events at Old Goa, and ignoring the same when it comes to temple festivals. Are we to believe that there are no more popular temples in Goa which conduct their religious events in an orderly manner with or without government assistance? The orderliness one witnesses at Old Goa’s religious events is not the result of the government intervention, it has a lot to do with the culture of devotees in their places of worship.

So, is this tragedy a failure of the organisers and government machinery? Or, could it be a consequence of the commercialisation of religious festivals coupled with a deteriorating civic culture witnessed in Goa?

As usual, it only takes the loss of lives for the government and citizens to wake up and take notice. Such tragedies are converted into occasions for either deriving political mileage or for settling political scores. It follows the usual pattern of denial, blaming, scapegoating, and projection to muddy the waters and dodge the truth, only to be forgotten no sooner another sensational issue surfaces. If the incident is politically embarrassing, then a fact-finding team is constituted and soft targets picked up for a dressing down with no conclusive outcomes.

The unfortunate incident at Shirgao should not be seen in isolation from the government’s utter disregard for public security and safety in several other areas of governance. It was just one among the many tragedies waiting to happen sometime or the other, a build up from years of safety precautions being ignored by overconfident organisersand devotees. The Government’s safety and security measures are more about reducing deaths on paper, and ignores the serious disabilities for life of victims who survive and the medical costs incurredby the State and their family for the treatment.

The confusion leading to a stampede is nothing different from the chaos we see in public spaces caused by overcrowding and illegal encroachments due to failures in planning and implementation. The linesmen losing their lives due to electrocution while discharging their duty is about disregard for prescribed safety standards by those in authority. The recent Verna bus accident which claimed two lives is the horrific reality of Goa’s pathetic public transport system. There are fatalities on our roads practically every single day due to vehicular accidents, but all we see is the farce of road safety weeks. The recent raids by FDA on eateries and quality of food items in our markets exposes the lack of health safeguards. It is all about a moral crisis with absolutely no consideration for public health and safety when it comes to making a quick buck.

Can a selfish and irresponsible mentality prevailing in society be expected to behave any differently when it comes to discipline in places of worship?

With civic discipline on the decline, consideration for one's own safety and that of others is terribly lacking all around. For jingoism mistaken as nationalism the concepts like ‘Empathy’, 'Safe distance' and ' Right of way' are too colonial, giving rise to a jungle raj. The public has enough time to condemn religious terrorism but refuses to denounce the terrorism unleashed in their immediate locality by the absence of basic public health and safety standards for the government’s infrastructural projects. Citizens silently surrender to all sorts of compromises and failures of the government and organizers of events when it comes to public safety standards.

When citizens themselves submit to unsafe conditions, whether in religious places, on roads or in other situations, who should be considered the villains and victims in such fatal incidents? Increasing police presence cannot be a substitute for the lack of civic discipline and responsibility. With unpredictable weather conditions due to climate change, the rampant hill cutting, excavations, land filling and other activities undertaken by bypassing basic planning, engineering and safety codes are inviting fatal disasters. Many more precious lives could be lost with the growing abuse in community spaces resulting from a toxic politics and governance which is spinning out of control.

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti- Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/edit/lives-lost-lessons-ignored-goas-public-spaces-are-turning-deadly/423194

Tides of betrayal: Goans crown their own captors - Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo on April 28, 2025

The diplomatic smile of an aspiring Goan politician which greets you may only end up stabbing you from behind. The sweet talk of secular Goykarponn in public may turn out to be deadly communal in private. The shouting on the streets against the government may melt into support for the same corrupt regime no sooner elections are announced. The political alternatives which pop up promising better days may prove to be nothing more than the divide and rule strategy to split opposition votes.

Such bitter experiences of being deceived by those who appeared ideologically neutral and politically sincere is causing many Goans to ask, "whom can we trust?"

Nowadays, many of the reactions and responses to controversial issues in Goa, which are viral and trending, no sooner subjected to the test of critical thinking may appear far from logical and reasonable. But speaking your mind attracts the label of being negative and disruptive. Any line of thinking and uncomfortable truths which do not conform to the story that is politically sold may get dismissed as conspiracy theories. Any attempts to set right the political pattern of thinking and reasoning becomes a threat and gets silenced by bad mouthing and side-lining.

These are no straight forward times wherein what is considered normal behaviour can be practiced without inviting trouble for oneself. Blind trust or faith in what is widely hailed and promised as ‘political change’ without subjecting it to critical scrutiny may land up with unexpected betrayals, like political defections and a fundamentalist government. What meets the eye, or what are shown as initiatives to save Goa, may not be the actual reality in a dysfunctional social and political environment. Goan society is reeling under ‘Political Co-dependency’. Navigating in such a politically sick society can be both mentally confusing and exhausting.

In the context of politics, co-dependency is understood to be about increased control by political leaders or systems to manipulate citizens into a dependence on the State for their well-being, security, or identity. Certain behaviours adopted by citizens as a coping mechanism in such an oppressive and deceitful political climate can, in turn, unintentionally, land up enabling or perpetuating corrupt political structures. This blind loyalty helps such manipulative regimes to shield corrupt practices from criticism or reform, as citizens prioritize loyalty to the leader or system over ethical governance. Understanding the psychological phenomena which drives the social and political mess becomes important if any effective intervention is to emerge.

For the ‘desi’ or 'bhakt' mentality a term like Political Co-dependency will sound foreign, to be suspected as a legacy of colonial influence. This is understandable as mental health is hardly a priority for a culture driven by blind religious and political loyalty. Machiavellianism is the sacred text worshipped in political power games. A culture which is structured on inequality cannot be expected to recognise the difference between what is healthy and abusive in politics. A society in the habit of disciplining others feels threatened and gets defensive no sooner the focus gets turned inwards.

When abuse and violence by authorities in religious institutions gets legitimised as divinely guided by their followers or flock, a religious co-dependency, it is not difficult for politicians to get themselves worshiped as divine avatars by posing as protectors of religion and culture. Political leaders who seek to capitalise on religious co-dependency will use religious symbolism, promises of religious salvation, or appeals to faith to secure political power. Citizens, feeling emotionally connected to both their faith and their political leaders, may see such manipulation as justified or even necessary, further enabling corrupt and undemocratic practices within the political system. Can compromised citizens accepting sponsors from politicians for undertaking religious pilgrimages and for cultural events be expected to behave differently when it comes to voting?

The occasional street protests can hardly be considered representative of a 11 lakhs voter population. This drum beating often lacks accountability, transparency and consistency which are a prerequisite to cultivate public trust. The pattern of protests which blow hot and go cold according to political seasons and the spurt in political controversies to scapegoat individual politicians rather than confronting the system are meant to entertain the public. Seasoned politicians in government are hardly rattled by such outbursts and dismiss such discontent as the work of a few disgruntled opponents. They know that flashing money guarantees support and ultimately votes.

The battle to tackle a dysfunctional democracy in Goa cannot begin in convention halls and on the streets. It has to start with the mind and conscience of every citizen, in the home and family. The political change has to begin with the thinking and behaviour of those who elect politicians. As long as the electorate continues with unreasonable expectations from those it elects to govern, replacing politicians will change nothing. The blunders of citizens in their choices of political leaders during elections cannot be undone with PILs in courts. What clean politics can one expect when politicians are worshipped for their patronage to illegal constructions and unlawful activities, government jobs, sponsors and doles?

The battle to cleanse Goa’s politics, to Save Goa, can only be possible with the convergence and consolidation of initiatives and not through duplication of efforts and competition for selfish mileage over controversial issues. What is required are transparent and accountable civil society leaders and participatory grass-root processes for meaningful political change. This can only happen if the underlying thinking and behavioural patterns of political co-dependency are recognised by individual citizens and consciously dismantled. This is what the Satyagraha model of Mahatma Gandhi was about. The fasts and non-cooperation movement were focussed on self-purification, cultivating the Soul Force of Satyagrahis to non-violently neutralise the oppressive and exploitative political dynamics of colonial rule.

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/edit/tides-of-betrayal-goans-crown-their-own-captors/422102

Paradise lost: How a crude culture is changing Goa -Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo March 24, 2025

The social and environmental costs of Goa’s filthy politics and vulgar tourism are now showing. The Government has been taking offence to the bad publicity given to Goa by social media influencers. But what is being cleverly evaded is how many of these reviews are reasonable or exaggerated. In an era of Artificial Intelligence, for how long will Goa be able to defend a lie as the truth by resorting to dark marketing tactics?

The face of Goa has been disfigured with flyovers and other ugly grey monsters dirtying the landscape. With a demographic change sweeping the State, the traditional ‘patrao’ and ‘bhatkar’ have almost vanished. What the paradise is witnessing is migrant invasion, which is far from respectful of or contributing any positive value addition to the traditional culture; a covert cultural colonization. It is the ‘setji’ and ‘saab’ who now determine the social, political and economic future of Goa. The welcoming and hospitable social atmosphere - of what was once a paradise with a colonial flavour- has been lost in the spillover of a crude culture from a ‘bimaru’ republic.

The local Konkani language is hardly heard spoken in the marketplaces. The once calm and cozy ‘vaddo’ has given way to a deculturated and rowdy ‘nagar’. The public spaces are flooded with settlers spitting paan, screaming, fly-tipping and squatting as and where they like with merchandise, least bothered about the nuisance caused or hurting sentiments of the locals. Spotting a native Goan in the city crowd is now difficult. For those who have experienced the pre and post liberated Goa of the 20th century, it is no more the paradise with a unique culture which is being showcased to the world.

Goa is reduced to a trash bin for the rest of the country with the government expecting natives to tolerate the unruly behaviour of settlers and visitors. Public places are increasingly becoming hostile and nature’s resources out of bounds for the native Goans. The gap between what constitutes social and antisocial behaviour is fast narrowing. Citizens can be evicted from their homes by non-State actors and land rights overturned with fake sale deeds. A mob dictates history and any counter opinion is met with hostility, ‘weaponisation’ of religious sentiments. A dispute is resolved by crushing the opponent under the wheels of the car, with the accused getting VIP treatment from the cops. The ethical practices of respecting the ‘right of way’ and ‘safe distance’ while driving on roads is now a colonial legacy being replaced with boorish desi mannerisms.

The situation in Goa fits most of the signs of a societal collapse with the decline in civic engagement being one sign, while the loss of public morality, environmental degradation, demographic decline, class conflict and centralisation of power are among others. The erosion of social structures and norms has ultimately led to weakening community cohesion and lowering the quality of life. Digital culture has speeded up the peoples disconnect with reality. The manufactured outrage in social media has derailed critical and rational thinking in citizens.

If one takes a clue from history on the downfall of vibrant cultures in the past, what has brought about this pathetic state of affairs in Goa was probably the comfort the society enjoyed which killed the desire for progress. Some studies on societal decay in the past point out that, "with no obvious challenge that a society has to overcome, their meaning of life becomes blurred. This gives way to a Hubris which stems from historical ignorance which ultimately believes that disrupting the status quo would improve things." To understand such historical blunder, among others, one needs to rewind to a decade earlier and recall those claims by Goa’s celebrity endorsers of the anti-corruption crusade and ‘parivartan’ as friends of good governance. They sold an illusion of political change without any idea of what the promised paradise of the right wing forces would look like.

Amidst all this turmoil is a growing mental health crisis. What we are increasingly being confronted with in our institutions and on the streets are antisocial behaviours which are normalised. Whether it is political corruption, drugs, dangerous driving, land scams, sound and air pollution, hate brigades, fake news and the rest of the public nuisance, all these are fuelled by an antisocial mindset which lacks concern for the rights of others and is devoid of any regret or remorse. Such anti-social patterns of behaviour are even celebrated as signs of a dynamic political leadership.

A community which has been mentally enslaved by abusive and exploitative systems in religion and politics over a period of time cannot recognise the normal from the abnormal, and abusive behaviour from healthy behaviour. The ‘Ahimsa’ and ‘Satyagraha’ mindset which won us our freedom from colonial rule is now overtaken by a psychopathic mentality that is at war with truth and reason. The political circus with statues, foods and religious sentiments has become a smoke screen for an emerging anti-social class to legitimize its lawlessness under a banner of nationalism.

Both public health and public security are now the last priority for a toxic political regime which is obsessed with power and economic progress irrespective of the costs. The intoxication of Goans from a nostalgia of the past and preoccupation with festivals and feasting has resulted in a democracy which exists only on paper. This paradise is handed over to merchants who work for investors and get endorsed by consumers every five years.

At least for now, the consumers of such politics seem content with their religiosity of showing their other cheek when slapped on one and forgive the betrayers seventy times seven, to enjoy those crumbs thrown their way from destructive governance.

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/edit/a-paradise-lost-how-a-crude-culture-is-changing-goa/420815

An Anti-Social Economy Is Gambling With Goa's Moral Fabric - Soter

 Lead article published in Oheraldo on July 28, 2025

The insecurity, distress and frustration in Goans around the rise in lawlessness around can be sensed in every street corner and at social gatherings. With the exception of the toxic positivity from ‘flying monkeys’ in such a deteriorating social and political atmosphere, the general public will agree that law and order has gone for a toss in the State, with the law enforcing agencies reduced to lame ducks by the political bosses seeking to protect and appease their agents and vote banks. This sense of loss and anxiety in the public is being exploited by messiahs, who under the guise of saving Goa are actually enabling the very same politics they claim to change. How long will Goans get entertained and take solace from such Pot and Kettle political show which is staged for public consumption?

The recent news reports of the cautionary remarks on the moral fabric of society by the Principal Sessions Judge of Anantnag court in J&K, while denying bail to the accused in the rape of a 70-year old lady tourist in Pahalgam, must serve as a wakeup call for the citizens of the paradise sold as God’s Own Abode (GOA). He warned that, “Mere meadows, mountains, lush green fields, forests, springs, rivers, rivulets and gardens will not come to the rescue of Kashmir as a desired tourist destination.” Denouncing the rape as “a reflection of the highest degree of depravity and sick mentality in society,” the Judge appealed for “a serious introspection” of societal values and morals. He said, “No sooner the sheet-anchors, conscious keepers, watch dogs, and philanthropists of this society will rise to the occasion to check what is going wrong on the moral front of the society, the better will it be for saving Kashmir as the paradise on earth in its true sense.”

Such moral decay is not restricted to a tourist destination like Kashmir alone, Goa is no better. Just recently, there was news of an 80-year-old woman being raped in North Goa. What went missing in this incident were the usual sound bites from politicians, unlike the hue and cry seen in the acid throwing incident on a student at Dhargal which went viral in the social media. Probably, it was a local involved in the rape, and not a migrant or from the minority community, which prompted such silence to protect the honour of the community. Or perhaps, the extent of sexual perversity prevalent in the State has simply desensitised Goans to such atrocities, to an extent of these being considered trivial.

To begin with, it is illogical for Goans to expect law and order to prevail in a social and economic environment which revolves around and tolerates vices like gambling, drugs, alcohol and prostitution. Such activities have been seen as immoral down the centuries and known to destroy flourishing cultures. Such socially corrupting economic activity can only thrive and prosper with an anti-social support system in place, the spill over of which will naturally take its toll on families and the larger community. It is known to attract those with antisocial tendencies, like thugs, pimps, touts, peddlers, and traffickers along with such type of clientele. Even ‘Housie’, which was merely an entertainment at community events all these years, is now becoming a cover for big money gambling in villages. Merely changing nomenclature from ‘gambling’ to ‘gaming’ does not change the corrupting effect of such activities on the mental health of citizens.

Similarly, there is a misconception that increased policing, CCTV cameras, denying bail, life imprisonment, death penalty, and other stringent legal remedies will act as a deterrence for antisocial and criminal acts. The futility of such assumptions can be seen from how the death penalty for rapists has hardly prevented rapes, just as changing political regimes has in no way reduced corruption in governance. What was hailed as a deterrence to rape has aggravated the threat to the rape victims who are now being killed after the crime to destroy evidence. Corruption in governance has galloped to an extent of denying and manipulating information and attacking whistle blowers. Where there is demand there will be supply, and the antisocial mind-set will find a way around the laws and enforcement agencies. When citizens themselves fail to self-discipline and self-regulate and behave as and how it suits their individual convenience, how many police and surveillance cameras will be sufficient to enforce law and order for a 15 lakh local population and some 50 lakh visitors? And what moral character can be expected of the law enforcement personnel emerging from such a society?

Goa’s pressing problems lies in what Mahatma Gandhi had said: “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”

The depravity in politics now appears to have moved beyond bad legislations and corrupt governance into a mental health crisis in society itself. This is seen playing out on our roads, in institutions and in the homes with the blatant violation of social norms and disregard for the well-being and rights of others. Goa’s political crisis cannot be tackled in isolation, without simultaneously addressing the mental health crisis in the community. If healthy politics for voters is all about regularisation of illegalities, protection for crimes, religious supremacy, sponsors and freebies, can there be place for law abiding and honest citizens in leadership?

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)

Is a mental health crisis enabling Goa's filthy politics and government? -Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo June 23, 2025

 

The recent incident at Goa’s premier medical institution which resulted in a flare up was probably the backfiring of a publicity stunt by the Health Minister and his PR team. This was not the first time that this minister was seen on camera rudely disciplining public servants in government hospitals, and had even managed to grab the desired publicity in social media. Perhaps emboldened by his earlier heroics paying off, the minister probably underestimated the target he chose this time. It was a higher ranked officer that was at the receiving end which possibly sparked an ego clash. It was more like a squabble for asserting their entitlement, which persons in authority, not only in politics but religion too, tend to suffer from after a period of time, particularly when they are considered to be next to God by the community. The body language, hands in the pocket and keeping on the face mask as if it was a casual interaction could irritate any boss who would read it as an attitude of defiance. It is such non-verbal body language with distressed relatives of patients which often provokes and leads to violence against the medical practitioners.

The media hype given to the GMC incident hardly resonated with the public on the street. For the common man, who at some point of time suffered a humiliating experience with government health services, this ‘Tu Tu Main Main’ remained nothing more than a quarrel of the elite and privileged class for control, with some fishing in troubled waters to reap cheap publicity. Some dragged in the land conversions destroying Goa in a bid to demonise the minister. Ultimately, what was the outcome of all this drama? Will it change anything when it comes to respecting the dignity of patients in the services of the government institutions? Or, has it helped further insulate the elite professionals in public service from scrutiny?

Any rational discussion on this incident ought to have focused on what deficiency in the Outpatient Department (OPD) service had caused the patient to approach the casualty ward, and how such inconvenience could be prevented in future. The actual issue which arose from the refusal to administer a B12 injection to a senior citizen in the casualty ward, on a day when the OPD was shut, got lost in discussing the disrespect for ‘human dignity’ of the doctor by a VIP. Such a big fuss to even administer an injection to a patient in a medical institution? But as usual, the issue got diverted into blaming the media persons who brought this problem to the notice of the authority and the public. The outcome of the controversy resulted in banning video recording in the hospital, probably to keep no traces of lapses in the delivery of medical services.

In the increased obsession with diabetes, hypertension, cancer and cardiac ailments and the need for super speciality treatment facilities in health care, what is forgotten is an even more vital aspect of health care: Mental Health. Perhaps the increased focus has to turn from Goa Medical College to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) located at one corner of the Bambolim plateau and out of public glare. The health of the mind is also known to play a vital role in physical health and both aspects need to be considered in treatment of ailments. Given the dysfunctional social and political situation which citizens are confronted with every day and in every place, mental health needs as much attention as physical health, if not more. The debate needs to shift from discussing good and bad people to healthy and unhealthy thinking and behaviour patterns, whether it is those in positions of authority or the civil society. The focus has to now drastically shift on understanding the psychopathology in Goa’s crisis, which manifests in all sorts of social evils like addictions, corruption, frauds, illegalities, defections, betrayals and crimes.

The arrogance and corruption involving politicians and public servants is not merely a failure of the political system. It’s also about an unhealthy personality which displays repeated and persistent behaviour that craves for adulation, lacks empathy, aggression and vindictiveness towards opponents, addiction to lying, and blatant disregard for rules and conventions, among others. Such behaviours that prioritise personal gain over the well-being of others and struggle with ethical decision making could very much spring from the “Dark Triad” which refers to a cluster of personality disorders, namely Narcissism, Machiavellianism and Sociopathy. In such an unhealthy environment toxic behaviours often go as normal, whether it is on the roads, footpaths, marketplaces or in offices, religious institutions and families. Can such toxic environment throw up healthy leaders who will provide good leadership and governance?

The common man fails to realise that the political chaos he encounters is much more complex and not just about bad politicians and good politicians, it's about unhealthy personalities in positions of authority, and even in media and social activism. The manipulative and deceptive leadership, whether in politics or social action, does not emerge and thrive in a vacuum, it needs a core base of followers and a reactionary public devoid of rational thinking and behaviour which is conducive to its rise.

If Goa is to be saved, Goans have to become informed on mental health and break free from this cycle of conflict and unhealthy interactions in the ‘Drama Triangle’ as described by the psychiatrist Stephen Karpman, which involves basically an interaction between three roles of Persecutor, Rescuer and Victim that keep shifting as per selfish considerations. This dis-empowering dynamics of coping with social and political problems has to consciously shift towards choosing the healthy roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach, which are part of The Empowerment Dynamic (TED).

(The author has worked with community initiatives related to Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, HIV/AIDs Prevention, Panchayati Raj, Anti-Corruption, Environment Protection and Social Justice.)