The capital city witnessed a flurry of activity till late Friday with government machinery moving swiftly, police have taken positions and also the ‘welcome’ hoardings are in place. Final touches were being given to arrangements ahead of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit to Goa for the State's 60th Liberation Day celebrations. Move away from Panaji, and the mood appears distinctly sombre with the spirit of Liberation died down.
The President will get an insight into Goa’s rich cultural heritage with around 200 local artistes participating in an event and could get a feel of Goan-ness that people of the State stand for. What the President will not witness is the people’s struggle to save Goa’s identity, environment and biodiversity.
For Goans, the 60th Liberation Day is a day of stock-taking and reassessing Liberation. If Goa is truly liberated, why are people forced to come on the streets, day and night, and fight to preserve the State's environment? While there is a celebratory cover over the capital city, hundreds of people are marching on the roads on a 12-hour night vigil between December 18 and 19, protesting against projects that are poised to spell wholesale destruction and doom. This Liberation Day, people are silently fighting a battle to protect Goa’s identity.
In this context, it would be worthwhile to recall one of the best lines ever spoken by Central leaders on Goa. This one comes from none other than India's first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru when he delivered an epoch-making speech in Panaji on May 22, 1963. He said: "Goa has a distinctive personality, and it would be a pity if anything was done to take that way. Time and other factors could bring about changes, but it is not for the government to force upon changes that affect Goa's personality."
These pompous celebrations are coming at a time when the State is going through a personality crisis. The voice of the common man is not being heard. A celebration of liberation has to be inclusive of the people of Goa. Spending crores of rupees to celebrate Liberation, when in fact people are still bound by chains, are meaningless and superficial ways to only deceive.
The State government has borrowed Rs 100 crore from the Centre for year-long celebrations. There are grandiose plans of festivity across the State. A facelift to various memorials associated with the Liberation movement is in the pipeline, and there are plans to include the Liberation Movement in school syllabus. But what is being done to save the very soul of Goa?
The spirit of the Liberation Movement lives on even now as Goans battle issues. Any form of development which is envisaged cannot be imposed on the State by the Centre. People have a right to protect the personality of Goa.
