The clueless Goan lost amidst political scheming -Soter

 Op-ed published in oHeraldo on September 28, 2020

In such trying times of a serious economic crisis, huge unemployment, border skirmishes, a threat to democracy and freedom in the country, Goans as usual seem to be disengaged from all these contentious issues which are fueling unrest across the country. When laws and policies are shamelessly getting steamrolled by dodging Parliamentary and Legislative Assembly scrutiny and critics of the Government are being implicated in fabricated cases and put behind bars to silence dissent, Goans as usual are stuck with local issues and unmindful of their cross-linkage with political issues which are afflicting the nation. This detached and insensitive attitude of Goans when it comes to national politics is nothing different from its lackluster response to the nation-wide struggle against the emergency imposed in 1975. And perhaps this casual and lethargic Goan culture, when it comes to keeping abreast with evolving national political trends, has been one of the factors contributing to Goa’s social and political decay.

The clueless or careless attitude of Goans towards key national issues is very much pronounced on social media platforms and in the content of general public discussions. Swearing at and abusing politicians and circulating political gossip seems to be their only civic duty. Some keep selling fantasies about a revolution to undo the current corrupt and anti-people politics by electing new faces with integrity. Some solutions may sound reasonable, but given the poor level of political maturity among Goans are they realistic and achievable? When Goans cannot self-assess high-risk situations, self-discipline and self-regulate in times of a health crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, how can they be expected to comprehend political developments and determine the governance policies of this State? 

Goans cannot Save Goa by continuing with their ostrich mentality of pretending that the problem is the politicians alone while refusing to admit the community’s role in the mess. The civil society’s lethargy and hypocrisy is as much responsible for the current state of affairs. If it was not so, then political crooks would not have found it so easy to gain popularity and win people’s acceptance with cheap and emotive theatrics. The elected People’s Representatives would not have to compromise on principles and keep doling out sponsorships from their own pockets in order to remain relevant and keep their constituents in good spirits till the next election. In the last few years, the rising trend of what seems to be fake activism in Goa, which is about cosmetic and whimsical protests driven by political opportunists, has only helped sustain the corrupt and communal politics in the State. People have been kept busy and systematically contained within their localities by fabricated protests over some or the other issue to prevent the emergence of any larger State-level people’s movement. The protests are limited to agitating over the fallouts resulting from faulty laws and policies instead of pushing for the problems in the laws and policies to be rectified. The condition of the roads this monsoon is actually far worse than the previous year, but do we see anyone singing and dancing in protest around the potholes? Is the anti-CAA-NRC protest visible anymore? 

Public protests nowadays appear to be more like limited edition sponsored packages by political agents masquerading as apolitical activists to gather cheap publicity or to distract the public from the Government’s failures. More than often the noises to save Goa may be from those who do not even have a vote and have no citizenship rights in Goa. So should one not be asking as to who will cause the revolution and vote for good faces when Goans themselves are busy trading their political rights for selfish pursuits?

The Goan millennials agitated over political corruption, destructive projects and migrants having a free run in Goa need to incorporate the Union Home Minister’s favourite phrase “chronology samajhiye” (understand the chronology) in their situational analysis. They need to recall the post-liberation political reality of how religious majoritarianism and caste has been employed to grab power. No sooner a particular section of Goans raise their voice against destructive policies and projects in Goa they are ridiculed as anti-nationals and the issue is given a communal colour. This discrimination against a section of Goans is evident even when it comes to government jobs and other economic opportunities. 

Goa has not reached this current state of political bankruptcy, environmental degradation and societal collapse by accident. The current pathetic state of affairs is the cumulative outcome of a bitter truth which Goans have been running away from since 1961. It is a denial in admitting the existence of two political Goa’s which are bitterly and covertly fragmented on the basis of caste and religion. Goans may appear united when it comes to booze, music and dance but definitely not when it comes to politics. The claim that Goa is a land of communal harmony is nothing but an illusion floated to cover up the communal rot. 

Unless the section of Goans responsible for undermining the Communidades, blocking the official recognition of Roman script for Konkani, supporting the merger theory and endorsing the present Konkan railway alignment do not acknowledge these as political blunders, the end of corrupt and destructive politics will not be possible. And if Goa is now a corrupt and criminal state, it is nothing but the contribution of six decades of such selfish, shameless and devious politics which has prevented any balanced and harmonious growth and development.

(The author is a social activist.)

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Edit/Opinions/The-clueless-Goan-lost-amidst-political-scheming/165798