Will Democracy be Buried or Redeemed in the Polls 2024? -Soter

 Published as Lead Article in oHeraldo on 22 Apr 2024 

Amidst the current repressive and intimidating political climate, it needs nothing more than cowardice to criticise the opposition parties; whereas, it takes tremendous courage to question and speak truth to the regime in power

As the world watches the evolving Indian politics, there is hardly any doubt that this Lok Sabha Election 2024 is not about a level playing field for the opposition parties. Federal agencies targeting prominent opposition parties and leaders by freezing bank accounts, initiating inquiries and jailing them after election dates have been announced is unprecedented in the history of democratic India. Let us not fool ourselves into believing that this ‘tamasha’ to entertain the galleries will cleanse the nation from a cultural DNA of corruption and reduce crimes. Assurances to the courts about not initiating coercive action against a political party during the LS polls are no consolation. The EC appointing special observers to oversee the poll process and ensuring an equal playing field does not necessarily make an election free and fair. With the Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of opposition leaders on financial matters, frozen bank accounts and a controversial EC, it is but normal that the focus of the opposition parties during the elections will be diverted and their spending power blunted. In such a hostile political climate, how can any responsible civil society sit back and ask, “...but where is the credible opposition which we can vote for?”

Autocracy which has enveloped India’s governance has been desperately attempting to offload its corruption and abuse of power onto the political opponents through aggressive propaganda at public cost. A toxic ideological group, which worked to weaken democracy and internationally defame the country while in opposition for over 6 decades after independence, seeks to label its dirty motives on its opponents and critics when in power. The rhetoric of a dark leadership fits a ‘desi’ proverb “ulta chor kotwal ko daante” (the thief accusing the policeman), or in other instances it is ‘the pot calling the kettle black’. How can any responsible citizen defend such a government which shamelessly dodges accountability and transparency and villainizes the opposition and critics?

A political regime with a mindset that an emphasis on civil rights had kept the country ‘weak’ and interprets a people’s mandate as a license to impose destructive programs and projects on the people is far more dangerous than the 1974 emergency. The last one decade has shown that the regime in power is a sore loser and will resort to any unethical tactics to overturn electoral mandates, as witnessed in the Chandigarh mayoral elections, or in the engineering of defections to snatch power through the backdoor. After being beaten in its game by some stinging Apex court judgements, a government on the back foot is now manufacturing and marketing suspicions about a ‘vested interest group’ employing pressure tactics to influence judicial outcomes. This agenda gets exposed when the government, which otherwise remains silent on Manipur and several horrific incidents of violence, finds its voice to support some letters from prominent personalities. Are we seeing frustrated egos now attempting to settle scores after failing to defend and cover up the electoral bonds scam in court? Were the pseudo patriots blind to notice the repeated humiliating swipes from a then Union Law Minister against the higher judiciary in the recent past?

The double (speak) engine governance has not only given a shield of legitimacy to corruption, but has also turned a blind eye to lawlessness branded as nationalism. The information which has spilled into public domain on the electoral bonds has exposed the ‘na khaunga, na khane dunga’ bluff of the anti-corruption crusade designed to malign the earlier regime. Let’s not forget that the allegations on black money and scams to malign the previous government turned nothing more than the fable of ‘the boy crying wolf’. Amidst the hysteria over corruption whipped up by these anti-democracy forces in 2011, the repeated warnings of many intellectuals about a game plan to overturn the Constitution and destroy democracy went unheeded and dismissed by citizens as Congress propaganda.

After weaponising religion, culture and food to politically exploit public emotions and blind reason, the game now seems to have turned towards exploiting women’s rights for regime survival. The defenders of Bilkis Bano’s rapists in Gujarat bestowing the title of ‘Shakti Swaroopa’ to the victim of sexual harassment in Sandeshkali, Bengal, is a mockery of woman empowerment. The nation saw how the government played hide and seek to shield the accused involved in the sexual harassment of female wrestlers. So, is the gender card employed for the South Goa LS polls genuinely about empowering women, or meant to facilitate the ‘ease of doing business’ for the mining and real estate lobby in the plunder Goa?

A very interesting essay titled ‘How Autocrats Weaponise Women's Rights’ by Elin Bjarnegård and Pär Zetterberg, both associate professors in political science at the Uppsala University in Sweden, introduce the concept of ‘autocratic gender washing’ to shed light on why authoritarian states adopt gender-equality reforms. According to them, “Autocratic gender washing occurs when autocrats take credit for advances in gender equality in order to turn attention away from persistent non-democratic practices, such as violations of electoral integrity and human rights.”

Amidst the current repressive and intimidating political climate, it needs nothing more than cowardice to criticise the opposition parties; whereas, it takes tremendous courage to question and speak truth to the regime in power. It’s fashionable for some with no grass-root political experience to tom-tom the need for honest and capable political candidates, but do these words actually play out in action on ground? Can a society which has lost honesty and basic civility on the streets tolerate honest leaders in government? Whether religion and education have trained citizens to first think wisely for them to vote wisely will be tested in this election.

(The writer was a Counsellor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Will-Democracy-be-Buried-or-Redeemed-in-the-Polls-2024/220456?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2EzTAKjUvb9a5_9Wl5hF41YUPHOfXV8NKW8chOkgVbJXfUTG0bYzHWmbk_aem_AWUGRqE2d1PBuUpMUUqtI6R8N68AbLEMVPPpo6ZOBkCH7JUK-0ysqOxIkQkEWlsQf0J-fvzlEbHefFMez0zXUo1f

Goa’s lethal roads - the bi-product of a crazy culture? -Soter

Lead Article published in OHerald on 25 Mar 2024

It has to do with a cultural rot in which abuse and violence is normal; it’s about having one’s way over anything or anyone else at any cost

Shedding a few tears, consoling the grieving family and swearing at the law enforcers every time there is a fatality resulting from a road crash has become the default setting, nothing more than a ritual for Goan society. Adding to this hypocrisy is the award of compensation to the surviving dependents of the dead while the driving on roads continues to be chaotic as usual. At the end of it all, no lessons are learnt either way, by citizens nor government, as the young and productive lives continue to be lost or maimed on Goa’s lethal roads.

A statistic of 454 accidents across Goa, some 50 deaths within the first 53 days of 2024 will not be a priority election issue for Goans as much as caste and religion. The public’s view on the road safety crisis remains as cock-eyed as the politicians’ vision of development and progress. While babble of ‘Modi ki guarantee’ fills the air, there is absolutely no guarantee on these killer roads that bread winners who leave their homes to work will return alive or in one piece.

The road safety weeks have been nothing more than a formality. Just a bunch of individuals with a couple of cops at some road intersection waving posters promoting the use of helmets and seat belts or, some dance troupe on the road drawing attention to potholes in social media. An extended version of the road safety carnival could be a group of government officers and their NGO influencers touring the State to conduct road audits and identify dark spots. The Village Road Safety and Traffic Management Committee, which was introduced in Village Panchayats from 2016, is nothing but a joke with no official functions notified for this committee even in 2024. Every time there is a horrific accident it’s the same old blame game, passing the buck between agencies and the solution of 4 E's strategy consisting of Education, Enforcement, Engineering and Emergency which gets recirculated for public consumption. And all this drama is justified and rationalised with a response that “Something is better than nothing” or, “What have you done? At least we are doing something.”

For the government, road safety is nothing more than reducing the figures of road fatalities and generating revenue through registration taxes and fines. It is not bothered if citizens are disabled for life. Road safety is about rattling the backbone of two-wheeler riders with speed breakers, humps, furrows and potholes. The law enforcers are busy entertaining the public with alcometer tests when there is a rising incidence of drug abuse by drivers.

Every social crisis is now subjected to political and business jargon and so is the issue of road safety. The people’s panic is exploited with exciting offers of life insurance policies, airbags for vehicles, speed governors, cameras and other solutions promising safety. The rise in car sales are celebrated with no one asking how many more vehicles can be accommodated on the roads. Perhaps many who are now screaming hoarse over the issue of road safety may be those same cheerleaders of yesterday who advocated for wider roads as prevention for accidents and easing traffic congestion. Both politicians and civil society groups cash in on this road terrorism which is predominantly haunting Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), the pedestrians, cyclists and motorised two-wheelers. But what better can one expect when the mood of the nation has become so predictable and shameless that politicians can dare to fearlessly toy around at will with people’s minds and emotions?

The cause for unsafe roads is much deeper, complex and complicated than what is admitted. It has to do with a cultural rot in which abuse and violence is normal; it’s about having one’s way over anything or anyone else at any cost. Political corruption, compromised road engineering and safety codes and poor quality of construction and maintenance of road infrastructure are only part of the problem. But the major factor which escalates the risks of road crashes is the total lack of road sense and civility in both motorists and pedestrians. What gets buried in the road safety audit is the default mindset of self-centeredness which considers ‘might as right’. The more horse powered, financially secure and cushioning with airbags and political influence, the more is the presumed entitlement to drive roughshod and ignore the laws and signs on the road.

The hierarchy of road users enforced in developed countries gets turned on its head in Bharat. Good driving practices like respecting the ‘Right of way’ and maintaining ‘Safe distance’ are foreign for the desi mentality. The rear and side view mirrors and sidelights get considered as decoration while the headlights, now halogenated, are for blinding the oncoming motorists. There is absolute ignorance when it comes to lane changing, negotiating turns and parking. The car horn is a doorbell for waking up the servants to open the gates or to hound the VRUs off the road.

No amount of laws, awareness and enforcement nor undertakings, speed governors and fines will instill discipline on roads without tackling the mental attitudes which contribute to dangerous behaviour. It's that old bullock cart mentality behind the wheel, now empowered economically and technologically, which bullies and goes berserk on roads, more so when the cops and cameras are out of sight. The basic driving ethics cannot be understood by a society which disregards table manners and etiquette.

Taking a cue from Bob Dylan’s song ‘Blowing in the wind’, the answer my friends as to how many deaths will it take to be known that too many people have died is blowing in the wind.

(The writer was a Counselor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Goa%E2%80%99s-lethal-roads-the-biproduct-of-a-crazy-culture/219390

Election 2024 - A challenge ‘For the People’, not only for Oppn leadership -Soter

Published as Lead Article in OHeraldo on 26 Feb 2024

The country is staring at a pivotal national election which will determine the future course of politics and the survival of democracy. With nearly 96.88 crore voters eligible to vote, India is the largest electorate in the world, according to the Election Commission (EC). Over 2 crore new electors in the age group of 18 to 29 are said to have been added in the electoral rolls since the last LS election. But will the large number of voters below the age group of 40 - presumably far more educated and informed than their senior generation - bring to democracy the much needed quality in their choices and upend the calculated and calibrated strategy of political parties and their consultant agencies?

There are already questions from citizens on whether or not this national election will be free and fair. The run up to this election is ridden with reports of a drop in India’s position to 108th in the Electoral Democratic Index from among 165 countries, according to the V-Dem Democracy report 2023. Neither is a ranking of 97th on the Liberal Democracy Index and a Press Freedom Index of 161 from among 180 countries an encouraging sign for a democracy. The recent invalidation of the Electoral bonds by the Apex Court, on grounds of being unconstitutional and against the Right to Information among other reasons, has vindicated the public's apprehension about the corruption and loot getting legally channelised by this regime through anonymous monetary exchanges in return for political favours.

Information reveals that the total funding of the party in power from all sources is believed to be approximately 7 times more than that received by the second largest party. Worse still is the attempt by government agencies to entangle the opposition parties in economic offense cases to create grounds for freezing their bank accounts and keeping them distracted in legal battles as the elections approach. With such a huge disparity in political funding coupled with harassment by government agencies, it will be tough for opposition parties to withstand the money power, propaganda

blitz, fake news and arm twisting by the current regime in this election.

With the scrapping of electoral bonds for political funding what remains unaddressed is the suspicion around the EVMs. In such a vicious political climate the doubts raised by the public about the manipulation of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in elections are reasonable.

When dodging accountability and transparency now seems to be the DNA of this government, there is enough cause for suspicion in the use of non-transparent technology systems for voting, and all the more when electronic voting has not been adopted by many technologically advanced democracies globally. The inconsistencies of the ECI in tackling election related controversies further feeds into the trust deficit.

Adding to the publics’ suspicions is the recent amendment in the People’s Representation Act to exclude the Chief Justice of India from the panel to appoint Election Commissioners, which was hurriedly approved by ignoring the opposition's concerns. Whether the justifications offered for this change hold in law is one aspect, but the timing for initiating such a move is what is suspect.

The recent tampering with votes by the Returning Officer which was captured on camera in a Mayoral election in Chandigarh, and referred to as a ‘murder of democracy’ by the Apex court, is possibly a trailer of the extent to which this regime can go to rig the results. There is a desperation sensed in the ruling political party to hold on to power at any cost. So, is it fair and rational for citizens to remain perched on the fence and keep asking, “What are the opposition parties and the courts doing to save democracy?”

Given the hostile style of this political regime, which is convinced that ‘offense is the best form of defense’, it will undoubtedly not be a level playing field for the opposition parties in the forthcoming LS elections. We see the gross misuse of the government machinery to suffocate and eliminate any traces of stubborn political resistance; all carried out under a camouflage of tackling economic offenses and handling security concerns. What must worry citizens is the absence of a sporting spirit and the bullying mentality in this political regime which shifts the goal posts and changes the rules of the game to win at any cost. Until such time that the elections are not formerly announced, the sword of ‘One nation, One election’ could be drawn out at any moment as a trump card to postpone elections if the mood of the nation is not conducive to reach the 375 seats target set by this regime.

For citizens to now conveniently wash their hands and dump the onus of saving democracy on the opposition parties is nothing but a refusal to admit their political blunder of colluding with the right wing forces a decade ago. Under the pretext of liberation from dynasty politics and corruption, was it not the people who gave a mandate to the undemocratic forces and enemies of the constitution? Shouldn’t the people now be asking themselves whether corruption and dynasty politics has ended under the regime they had voted to power in 2014? If the answer is negative, then was it an imprudent decision which has backfired badly? Or, were citizens blinded by the dust thrown in their eyes from a well curated political carnival of the anti-democracy and anti-constitution forces?

This national election will be a challenge ‘For The People’ to show their wisdom, a responsibility ‘Of The People’ to save democracy, and a verdict ‘By the People’ which will determine whether the core values of Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are still paramount for the nation.

(The writer was a Counsellor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Election-2024-A-challenge-%E2%80%98For-the-People%E2%80%99-not-only-for-Oppn-leadership/218230

A New Year with the same old Goan circus - soter

 Published as Lead article in oHeraldo on 22 Jan 2024

The New Year 2024 in Goa has kicked off with a series of tragic, mysterious and mischievous occurrences unfolding every single day. On the very first day, a Christian Pastor had Goa’s uninvited secular cops for morning ‘darshan’ at his doorstep, after a particular complaint sparked off their enthusiasm and diligence to arrest their prey on grounds of indulging in black magic to convert persons. This was followed by the most unexpected news of a dead and buried man walking home after two months, in what turned out to be a case of a bungled police investigation. The focus quickly shifted to

a Bengaluru mother who is accused of killing her 4-year-old son in a service apartment in North Goa. Interspersed with these events, which have been extensively sensationalised by the media, the State also witnessed several fatal road accidents with young lives being snuffed out within the first fortnight. The Sunburn controversy, which entertained and distracted the public towards the fag end of 2023 and into the New Year, vanished overnight with a goodbye to Goa from the event organisers.

Given the normalisation of anti-social and malevolent behaviours, the most unexpected incidents are to be expected in such a dysfunctional social and political climate. But what is very disturbing is the level to which irrationality has overrun truth and reason in Goan society. The public mentality has dipped to such a level that it gorges on spectacle and trivia. Unpleasant incidents make exciting gossip material for ‘sosegado’ Goans, while they ignore the skeletons in their cupboards and do nothing to remedy their own miserable situation. Gossip helps avoid other important ground realities which require equal attention, if not more. All misery around is nothing but a pass time for Goans with no lessons learnt for the betterment of their society at large. In such a climate of glaring contradictions, why would any government pay heed to occasional public tantrums and take its citizens seriously?

It is heartening to occasionally hear some isolated voices of sanity calling for reflection on the health of our families and society to prevent tragedies. But again the responses to crisis situations, if any, are all compartmentalised and unconcerned of the multidimensional factors that contribute to a problem. With reports on a rise in drug abuse and distressed homes we are witnessing a knee jerk reaction from government and civil society groups. Recently there was a news report that an NGO will train teachers to recognise mental health issues among students. But who will address the mental health of adults in the home and teachers in the school which impacts the child’s mental health? Is the economic development model driven by the government and industry assessed for its impact on the mental health of citizens? Or, will it again be sick minds playing healer, teacher and statesman and going round in circles to decorate their activity reports?

Sadly, we can no more expect reason and hard truth to appeal to a society which has degenerated into a ‘bewildered herd’, a term applied to politically blinded masses by renowned author and political analyst Walter Lipmann in his critique on democracy. Public opinion in Goa is now the slave of media propaganda driven by the elite class, and perhaps the writings of Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky in their book ‘Manufacturing Consent’ could help throw some light on Goa’s crisis. Asking questions is vital for survival of democracy but Goans have chosen to be sheeple under the control of a dark leadership.

What’s disturbing is a growing cognitive dissonance in citizens leading to incongruence in thought, words and actions. While citizens relentlessly complain about the troubles and hardships they are facing because of misgovernance and corruption, we hardly see and hear about community processes initiated to understand and improve living conditions. Weekly markets and cultural festivals are not going to reverse the rot in politics and remedy the social chaos around. Instead these celebrations only enable the dysfunctional systems by feeding the denial. This contradiction is demonstrated by the survey findings with Goa’s government boasting of taking the first position on the Happiness Index among small States.

The growing cynicism and detachment among Goans when it comes to discussing civic issues is not necessarily ‘public apathy’. There is a ‘trust deficit’ and ‘mental fatigue’ which has crept in over a period of time from an overdose of protests with no tangible results. Social and political initiatives lack inclusivity, transparency and accountability. These are not people’s movements emerging from a grass-roots process, but more of a product branded and marketed from AC chambers with perspectives and motives of some privileged few. This lack of commitment and consistency in any social action becomes visible no sooner elections are declared. “The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens”, said renowned political scientist and philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville.

Goykarponn and Goychi Asmitai cannot survive in a society driven by individualism and materialism. In a dysfunctional society nothing should be judged merely by its face value and popularity. Every event in the community is patronised by the same ring masters, jugglers and clowns who keep their audience enthralled and distracted from the ground reality. The downfall of Goans has been their naivety, emotionalism and impulsivity when it comes to politics. How can anyone expect good governance and smart development by endorsing malevolent personality traits as qualities of good leadership and vesting such individuals with unchallenged power? With even religious and educational precincts being reduced to markets and entertainment hubs, where is the time and space for any serious critical thinking and introspection in the Goan community?

(The writer was a Counsellor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/A-New-Year-with-the-same-old-Goan-circus/216903?fbclid=IwAR1Kk0qNxTPtcGkQ1FnD_nF-RebaHgRLfDDgzA0RbhQ6YrAr7RIaB6Z5IiA

Govt tells colleges to send students to attend private event ..

 Times of India Dec.24, 2025

Govt tells colleges to send students to attend private event ..

Read more at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/106239611.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

A ‘Messy’ Christmas in Goa -Soter

 Lead article published in oHeraldo on Dec. 25, 2023

Noisy nights, Unholy nights, All is rowdy, All is lawless…

The winter chill of Goa’s yesteryears is terribly missing this Christmas season, a warning that even nature cannot withstand the greed and violence under the garb of development and progress. For all official purposes, December 25 is now ‘Good Governance Day’ for this government and Christmas is just another of those tourism events to harvest profits for the industry and peanuts for the bankrupt State coffers. For the larger community disoriented by chronic consumerism and materialism, Christmas is nothing beyond a competitive display of Christmas trees, lights, cribs, sweets, Santa Claus riding a reindeer sleigh loaded with gifts and revelry.

Goa’s once calm and serene atmosphere is disrupted by boorish tourists who care a damn for the feelings and sentiments of the local people. The silent night is now shattered by high decibel sound blasts from music events, fireworks and screaming, giving sleepless nights to residents around. After dark the roads are no more safe for locals to hop out of their homes to meet relatives and friends as rented cars and bikes run amuck. The law-abiding culture and God fearing Goykarponn has been overrun by an unholy ‘raj’ which respects no law. Governance has failed to the extent that the High Court is compelled to step in and restore the rule of law. By no standards can Goa’s Christmas atmosphere be considered joyful and peaceful for the common Goan.

No room for Goans to live peacefully

Goans are pushed into a self-imposed house arrest during every festival season with life and limb threatening mayhem on the streets. Instead of regulating the tourist footfalls during the festive season, the Chief Minister is shameless enough to tell Goans not to keep their vehicles off the roads during the Christmas season to avoid traffic jams. The government does not see the need to crack the whip on noise pollution, drug and alcohol menace, sex trade and dirty driving on roads. Instead, the Tourism minister is more concerned with protecting the brand image of Goa’s tourism from social media influencers who expose the vulgarity and lawlessness. Securing the lives and ensuring peace for local residents does not seem to be a priority for the minister.

The traditional community spaces where Goans would congregate to socialise and recreate are now colonized by the tourism department. Community spaces used for recreation and relaxation are hired out to private players. Every inch of community open space is concretised by the government to build sports complexes, convention centres, parking lots, theme parks and the rest. Citizens are left choking for want of clean air, thirsting for water, blinded from frequent power failures and crippled due to the absence of a decent and affordable public transport and safe footpaths. Government policies keep getting smarter with Goans increasingly finding themselves alienated in their own land.

The bluff of generating employment for locals can be seen from the hordes of cheap migrant workforce, vulnerable to all sorts of labour exploitation, being hired by the industry. Leaving aside meagre salaries and the escalating costs of living in Goa, what goes unnoticed is the growing housing crisis with no affordable land for housing available for low and lower middle income Goans. Huge parcels of land are snatched from communities and auctioned or gifted by the government to the fatted vultures from Bharat under the garb of investment and infra promotion. Goans are being driven into opting for foreign citizenship to afford a dignified and decent living.

Herodism and Caesarism in politics

Christmas is about God’s liberating intervention against the evils of the Herods and Caesars who abuse political power to enslave citizens. The political bondage and slavery has become far more sophisticated and pronounced when compared to those times. Technological advances enable a corrupt and despotic government to dodge accountability and terrorise citizens into submission citing national security concerns. Citizens who resist the evil governments are jailed by framing false charges of conspiracy and terrorism and curtailing of fundamental rights. Women and children are not safe from political lunatics who are blind to reason, with increasing instances of abuse, rapes and even burning victims to destroy evidence.

Fake news and fudged economic data is force fed to the masses to create an atmosphere of ‘All is well’ and about a ‘GDP zooming’ towards a five trillion economy. Universities are increasingly being controlled to drive political agendas and education appears to be reduced to breeding a ‘praja’ which looks up to the politicians as ‘mahapurush’ and ‘vishwaneta’. History is being rewritten to weaponise the nostalgia of a glorious past, with a ‘the nation is great again’ illusion weaved into minds that are disabled to think critically by ideological echo chambers in every sphere. This in short is what the overall social and political situation looks like this Christmas.

A Holy Christmas evades Goa

The celebration of Christmas in Goa has to move out from a closeted manger of denial about the horrific reality which beats around the Christmas tree, and is lost in stargazing, carolling and riding with Santa Claus. The search for the messiah has to be amidst the cruelty and chaos of this twenty-first century. Perhaps what Christmas is about in 2023 has been wonderfully depicted by a Church in Jerusalem with the nativity scene of Mary and Joseph searching for the baby Jesus amidst debris and rubble in a war ravaged Gaza. A Christmas celebration which refuses to call out the social injustices around is hypocrisy. A Christmas lost in merry making has to move towards a Holy Christmas which attempts to decipher the role for each individual in God’s salvific mission for these turbulent times.

(The Writer was a Counsellor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/A-%E2%80%98Messy%E2%80%99-Christmas-in-Goa/215662

Maximum Opportunism, Minimum Goykarponn -Soter

 Lead Article published in oHeraldo, November 27, 2023

Goa’s democracy is now reduced to ‘a government of money bags, by money bags and for money bags’. Those chants of ‘Save Goa’ are hollow, a Dil’liwallah will be preferred over a fellow Goan when it comes to the sale of private lands, all for those few extra pieces of silver

It’s very common in social conversations around politics to encounter the question, “why do people not use their common sense when voting?” Others may butt in and mockingly ask, “What is it?” And this is exactly where one could land up going round in circles in the denial game of a dysfunctional society, because common sense is considered subjective. What appears a sensible choice for one could appear insensible for the other. Common sense may be rubbished as a perspective shaped by an individual’s perceptions, gathered from a combination of experiences, beliefs, cultural norms, social interactions and exposure to various situations. And therefore, no two individuals may have had the same experience of reality, particularly when discussing politics.

Without getting into the subjectivity or objectivity debate around common sense, what is simply implied by the common man’s use of this term in relation to politics is, ‘the ability of a citizen to make a sound and practical judgment, which is independent from sophistication and specialised knowledge, when assessing their political situations and making choices. In other words, it is the basic ability of a citizen to weigh the potential risks and benefits of each decision, allowing him/her to make sound judgments that lead to better political outcomes. This is where the two important abilities for observation and critical thinking, among others, play a very important role.

Goykarponn was about such common sense, that experiential comprehension of situations from day to day living passed on down the centuries, until bookish knowledge and a false sense of entitlement from academic degrees blurred the reality. What we have today is more of a mind disconnected from the soul. Even human beings are now seen for nothing more than their human capital value. Now goykarponn is just a brand name to arouse and exploit those nostalgic emotions about the past for profits of a predatory and perverted modern economy.

Amidst this goykarponn dysfunction, truth and reason have lost out to populism and jingoism. Common sense is reduced to nonsense. The ability of citizens to observe and think critically has been systematically disabled by the opportunistic market and political forces, not to absolve the role of religious institutions which are also increasingly being contaminated with corporate business and marketing tactics. In such a chaotic climate, the plight of thinking and reasoning persons is summed up in an anonymous quote which reads: “Common sense is not a gift; it’s a punishment because you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.”

Goans now stare at what appears to be lawlessness with crimes and illegalities on the rise, even to the extent of public supporting governments to legalise what is criminal and illegal. Goa’s democracy is now reduced to ‘a government of money bags, by money bags and for money bags’. Those chants of ‘Save Goa’ are hollow, a Dil’liwallah will be preferred over a fellow Goan when it comes to the sale of private lands, all for those few extra pieces of silver. For those who can read the signs of these times there is hardly any doubt that the society is on a downward slope, but many citizens seem unable, or at least pretend, not to see the slide and stop it. Citizens continue to wallow in a denial which downplays the social, political and economic crisis.

A dysfunctional system does not thrive in a vacuum; it requires a triangle consisting of destructive leaders, susceptible followers and conducive environments. Corrupt politicians cannot have their way without compromised pillars of democracy and double faced citizens. This is exactly where Goans have repeatedly fallen for fantasies of change, development and progress spun by professionals and technocrats hired for marketing politicians. As long as there are people willing to play ball in a corrupt political system, the noises denouncing corruption and appeals for changing politicians are a farce. Protests appear more about one-off seasonal choreographed events for photo ops and self-branding and marketing of some individuals, but devoid of logical, transparent, consistent and community centric processes for change.

We are a crippled society, ridden with ethical confusion and a growing distrust due to the lack of accountability and transparency in community leadership. The people are instigated to attack weak targets like the Village Panchayats and selected projects, while the State laws which promote dirty real estate are kept intact. If loop holes in the laws are plugged, where will be the scope for the growing litigation and extortion industry?

A social crisis is always beneficial for politics, religion and industry. It’s all a vicious cycle of manipulating, exploiting and controlling the poor, jobless, homeless, ignorant and voiceless. As the French-born American diarist and novelist Anais Nin had said, “When we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.” Politicians, social activists and religious leaders remain vocal on the constitutional right to freedom of religion and speech, but when have we last heard any emphasis on the fundamental duty of citizens to develop a scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry and reform?

Goans need to rise above their emotions, devotions and intoxications to comprehend their alarming reality. A culture of introspection and self-critiquing by citizens is necessary if this political malaise is to be understood and treated. If Goans intend to overturn this corrupt political apple cart, people’s collectives for critical thinking, objective analysis and effective action need to emerge at the ‘vaddo’ (ward) levels. What is needed is the traditional ‘ganvponn’, free from political party, politician or clergy control.

(The writer was a Counsellor at a Drug Prevention and De-addiction Centre in Goa)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/Maximum-Opportunism-Minimum-Goykarponn/214218