In any functioning democracy, the rule of law is believed to be supreme, so that no individual or office should place anyone above it. That is the principle people rely on when they speak of fairness and justice. But when the very system meant to uphold this principle begins to bend, selectively applying rules or quietly ignoring violations, it becomes deeply unsettling. It is not just a failure of enforcement; it is a betrayal of public trust.
The Bombay High Court’s order earlier this week to remove the “illegally installed” statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji at Headland Sada is not just about a structure erected on public land; it’s an indictment of a system that chose to look the other way. In an unusually blunt language, the court described it as a “complete failure” of the state machinery. This cannot be an oversight; it’s a brutal collusion and a gross misuse of influence and power.
Authorities at various levels, from the local police to the Superintendent of Police, to District Authorities and the local MLA, have tacitly allowed an illegality. More than those who have engaged in this violation, it is the authorities that need to be investigated. Because they don’t deserve to be holding such positions of responsibility. With power comes responsibility, as the adage goes. When authorities consciously allow such violations, they have deeply failed the people of Goa, who are looking up to them for justice. This is where the real damage lies—not in the statue itself, but in the erosion of public trust.
The political dimension makes the situation even more troubling. The local MLA, Sankalp Amonkar, was openly associated with the installation of the statue. The chorus of defiance reverberated across the port town and beyond. The court’s decision to include him as a respondent signals that this was not just a stubborn act by a few individuals and hints at a broader pattern where political influence shields or even encourages actions that clearly violate the law. When people begin to believe that laws apply differently depending on who is involved, governance loses its credibility. The role of the police, too, comes under scrutiny. Despite clear evidence, the case lingered at a preliminary stage. A criminal trespass complaint existed, yet there were no meaningful interventions.
The larger issue is not about one illegal structure; it is about a failed system. The court has ordered removal, demanded accountability, and called out failure where it saw. But legal orders, however strong, can only go so far. The deeper problem lies in governance. Unless there is a serious effort to tighten enforcement, insulate administration from political pressure, and establish clear accountability, this will not be the last such episode. Goa has repeatedly seen encroachments being tolerated, violations ignored, and action delayed selectively.
Goa needs an upright system with authorities showing consistency and courage, and willingness to act every time they see an illegality, regardless of who’s involved or what pressures may be at play. Because if that resolve is missing, these breaches will continue. And in the end, ordinary people will be left with no choice but to look to the courts as the last line of defence.
