Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was the cynosure of all eyes while on a 2-day State visit. The bonhomie between Portugal and Goa reflected in the warm welcome the premier received and his acknowledgement of “home away from home”. Sousa highlighted the “unique” human micro-climate which fosters friendship. But beyond all the grandeur and diplomacy, Sousa couldn’t have a peek into the dark underbelly of a State that still cries for basic infrastructure.
Sousa must understand that successive governments have failed to provide uninterrupted water to its citizens even after nearly 59 years since its liberation from the Colonial rule. And so has it failed the people on the power supply and garbage management. The very fact that Goa has reached out to Portugal for help in water augmentation and sewerage management after nearly six decades should itself tell the story.
The Portuguese President hasn’t familiarised himself with the people of Goa, or the Institutions that stood tall during the Colonial era, or the rural landscape where agriculture and lush green fields was a mainstay. The image of Goa which Sousa pictures and the ground reality are in stark contrast. The traditional institutions of the Portuguese era like the Comunidades are crumbling, and so is agriculture. Politicos are paying lip service to farming, and the rural discourse is rendered meaningless. Vast tracts of green lands have disappeared in the name of development. The coastal heritage, which has been the DNA of Goa since the Portuguese rule, is being washed away.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has sounded his diplomatic best saying both Portugal and Goa have similarities and can learn from each other. Sawant highlighted the fact that Portugal has heritage cities that have retained their character despite being modernized. Look who’s talking about area-based character. The government has overnight declared 56 villages across nine talukas as urban areas without even consulting its people. Where is the consultative process that democracy promises? And what happens to the character of our pristine villages that are highlights of heritage?
Sousa has hinted about help on dual nationality, and Sawant spoke about the vast Goan diaspora in Portugal. Goa is undergoing a major identity change with its people bidding farewell to their motherland and flocking to Europe, thanks to the Portuguese passport. With no immediate relief for unemployment in sight, pursuing dual citizenship with the Centre could raise a new hope.
Yes, President Sousa, Goa can be your home away from home in Portugal only for the sheer warmth and love of the people of Goa for Portugal. Nothing else can be as welcoming and fulfilling to return to a place your country ruled for 450 years. Everything else is pure history. We hope to see brighter days after the MoUs. Obrigado Senhor Sousa, de nada de novo!
