The much-awaited meeting on the vexed Mhadei issue happened on Monday, with thousands of people from across Goa converging at the venue at Virdi-Sanguem. A battery of speakers, including social activists, political leaders, and environmentalists, took to the dais to speak their minds on the issue, a noticeable absence being the Revolutionary Goans Party and members of the ruling dispensation. The stage was seen as a launchpad for Mission Mhadei.
However, the rally failed to live up to its expectation of a second opinion poll as most discourses veered around political banter and fiery score-settling exchanges that created a smoke screen, ultimately diluting the purpose of the meeting and failing to lay out a roadmap.
Political speakers not only resorted to sloganeering against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, which was expected since the meeting was organised in his constituency of Sanquelim, but many took jibes at the Revolutionary Goan Party for distancing itself from the agitation.
Deadlines of withdrawing the clearance of DPR given to Karnataka, an idea of a Goa bandh, and even a random suggestion of creating a constitutional crisis with MLAs quitting en masse were calls given by various speakers. But, none of these sounded realistic or practical solutions to the issue; instead, they were hollow pitches that only stirred up public sentiments. Incidentally, Subhash Velinkgar was booed by a section of the public and the point he was trying to make was literally lost in the din.
The contrast was so apparent that at some point, it turned out to be a tamasha instead of a serious discourse with speakers asking the public to tone up sloganeering. The only saving grace was the heart-warming appeal by noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar, a name synonymous with Mhadei. Kerkar painted a grim picture and explained the consequences of water diversion for Goa. He firmly stated that at this point, Goa cannot stop the award of the Mhadei Water Tribunal, which has given 3.9 tmc of water to Karnataka for diversion. The two pertinent points that Kerkar raised are significant takeaways from the rally — that a legal battle is the only way to stop Mhadei water diversion and to fight Karnataka's attempts to divert Surla water too. The irony is Kerkar's words fell on deaf ears, and the meeting ended with a resolution demanding the withdrawal of approval given to DPR.
The 15-day deadline proposed by Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai had no backing, and neither was there an endorsement of legislators quitting. The crowd dispersed with no clue where this agitation led to, even as voices of dissent began to mellow down on Tuesday. The biggest positive from the rally perhaps is that it unsettled the government and brought some urgency to the issue.
Unfortunately, awareness is still lacking about Mhadei, and the public continues to be driven by sheer political emotion through slogans like 'lifeline' and 'mother'. Kerkar, in his speech, made a specific mention that legislators made no efforts to go through the 12 volumes prepared on Mhadei.
Politicians must stop the mud-slinging and excessive stirring of public emotions for their vested interests. Instead, there has to be resolute unity among all sections, and complete clarity on the way forward.
