Ten days after the horrifying Betalbatim rape case left the State in shock and awe, it’s time for introspection. It’s time to look at the bigger picture of Goa’s tourism and how piecemeal changes in the system will be ineffective in tackling tourists with shady backgrounds who leave such indelible imprints on the tourism landscape of Goa.
Sadly, nothing significant has changed between that fateful evening at Betalbatim and now. There have been countless stories, debates and opinions hogging front page spaces, but no tangible solutions have come to the table in terms of an entire systemic revamp. From a pressing need to upgrade infrastructure, better illumination along the beach belt, surveillance systems in the form of CCTV cameras, faster delivery of justice, calls for capital punishment, etc, it all boiled down to nailing those rogue tourists.
But beyond this anger and frustration and the tourists which taints Goa’s image, stakeholders and the people of the State have to come to terms with this very appalling and painful picture of tourism which the State is currently selling. It’s a heady mix of everything. From the beaches, casinos, drugs that are freely available, late night rave parties, to the spas that offer much more than only massages, etc. We have it all. Goa’s tourism has drifted to such a level that it is virtually impossible to return back to where we once belonged. The fact that Europeans have dumped this once-upon-a-time tourist paradise is testimony to this fact. And it is against such an vitiated atmosphere, Goans will continue to find it difficult to insulate its own daughters and women from being victims.
The Betalbatim case has triggered a need for massive infrastructure upgrade, but this alone will not help. Illumination of the entire coastal belt could act as a deterrent, but per se this also cannot be a practical solution. So is the case with CCTV cameras. Lest we forget, a move to make installation of such cameras mandatory for shacks was shot down in no time. The long arm of the law, too, has not been able to take a firm grip on the hundreds of other rape cases which have faded into oblivion with time. The rape figures are heavily stacked against the law enforcers with over 50 per cent of rape and molestation cases still pending trial.
The State needs a holistic approach if we are to cleanse tourism from such evil. We need to take tough decisions on everything associated with tourism and it’s time we decide what kind of tourism we want in Goa. Our political leaders need to exit the lobbies which they are holding on to and work out practical solutions in the interest of the State. If cases need to be fast-tracked, it cannot be just the Betalbatim case, but all the cases. If we are to protect our daughters of the soil it’s time to ruthlessly cleanse our entire tourism first.
