Union Minister of Railways, Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal’s fervent appeal to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) not to come in the way of Goa’s development should come as an embarrassment to the State government in the first place. Herein is a testimony to the fact that masses have isolated the political class and leaders in fighting issues of their motherland. It’s an embarrassment because people have seen rays of hope in these NGOs rather than mindlessly accepting decisions of the government.
“Dissent is the safety valve of democracy. If you don’t allow the safety valve pressure cooker will burst,” are the epoch-making lines of a Supreme Court observation while deciding on the arrest of activists by Pune police under the anti-terror law last year. Governments should take dissent in the right spirit and establish a connection with the masses rather than trying to fight it menacingly.
Governments are bound to face roadblocks when large-scale projects threaten habitats and lifestyles and hence a consultative process making Goans partners in progress should be the key. By and large, that has not been the story in the State. Transparency and trust go hand in hand. Bulldozing projects against the will of the people is going to be met with resistance most of the times, especially when there are clouds of uncertainty. Goans don’t have an option but have to cling on to all possible support systems to wage their fights on issues, including aligning with NGOs.
Having said that, the ruling dispensation should introspect on why there is a revolt every time major projects are proposed. Goa is a very tiny state and its people have taken the onus on themselves to guard every frontier. It is for the government to take the people along and move on the development highway. Land has become a very sensitive issue to the people and to a large extent the very identity of Goa is shaped by its treasured landscape. You can’t have a vision of Singapore-style development and still talk about the uniqueness of Goa.
Dangling the job carrot in the name of development is not going to enthuse locals anymore because the employment system is flawed with the government having no controls over the private sector. Goans have faced a bitter past and locals have been mere onlookers in the growth story so far. There were issues like river nationalization and coal expansion where people came on the streets. The coastal plan was reworked because the power of people prevailed on the government. The same applies even to projects like the Nauxim marina. No matter how convincing the promoters are in explaining the benefits to Goa and its tourism, people will still be apprehensive. A trust-deficit is visible.
The Government must build bridges of trust with its people rather than targeting the NGOs. All the resentment and hatred will die down the moment the government manages to engage its people with transparency and fairness. And this certainly is the road to a vibrant Goa.
