Senior Congress leader Pratapsingh Rane’s comment “Goans settled overseas may be working as toilet cleaners” has invited the wrath of citizens within the State and abroad. An emotionally-charged Rane was seen raising the pitch for mining and in a rare outburst slammed those living beyond the boundaries of mine areas who were critical of the resumption of the ore trade.
The picture that Sr Rane sought to portray is certainly in bad taste. While narrating his experiences while on one trip to the United Kingdom, Rane went on to explain how he bumped into a washroom attendant and how surprised he was to know that he was a Goan after a traditional Konkani welcome. Rane’s unnecessary jibe stumped the Congress, and all the bravado and unity they showed in the monsoon assembly session vanished into thin air. It is here that the Congress conceded a self-goal that left the entire party organization red-faced.
But beyond the ‘toilet cleaners’ jibe, we need a reality check, because sadly a huge section of Goans too hold similar views, albeit often uttered in hushed tones. While sections of people are thumping their chests and swearing by Goemkarponn and expressing their rock-solid pseudo-patriotism, it’s deplorable to find their attitudes, egos and complexes also running parallel. So when the NRI returns home to brandish his thick golden bracelet, there would be a majority of neighbours and friends who will be more inquisitive about the job he holds.
We need to look at how important dignity of labour is to the larger picture and to humanity. A Goemkar is proud of the soil he belongs to, but finds it below his self-respect to take up blue-collared jobs. That is why we find migrants as torch-bearers of Goemkarponn. And we have to rely on labourers from Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh for our fishing and construction businesses. For that matter, even the local poder is now a migrant.
There is a vast section of Goans who are yet to understand and value dignity of labour where all types of jobs are respected equally, and no occupation is considered superior. Dignity of labour is one of the major themes in Christian ethics and was well-advocated by some of India’s greatest leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. If there was one attribute that caught the fancy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited Australia in 2014, it was their dignity of labour.
It’s time Goans take a lesson or two on dignity of labour. And it should start from our schools. Value Education has been the new mantra where teachers drill anecdotes relating to honesty, punctuality, cleanliness and other aspects of life, but a crucial topic like dignity of labour is forgotten. There is a need for mass awareness campaigns and government should play a crucial role here. Goa will be a better place if all kinds of workers think and move ahead independent of the services provided by
others. It’s about learning that no work is less important than the other.
