Goa recently got a surprise Rs 300 crore grant against the just Rs 100 crore that the government sought to celebrate its 60 years of Liberation. So what exactly do we wish to celebrate? Freedom? Well, we are certainly not free today, so that is out. Development? What has the government done for development? Or, let us ask: what is the single most element/item that is responsible for Goa reaching the present stage of development never mind what could have been? What is it, that had it not been there for the ‘taking’, would have made the life of many people unbearable? It is land. Without land there can be no development. So, which is this land? It is the land from the Comunidade, recklessly usurped with no compensation to the owners. Without this land, everyone would have been taxed more had land been purchased from others: businessmen, builders, real estate owners, politicians, etc. They were all spared this burden by the Comunidade who in turn bore the burden a hundredfold. Strangely, the people working in the Comunidade often go without their salaries. Should not this ‘pie’ be shared only by the Comunidade? Is there anyone who disputes this? Should not an acknowledgment be made for the same? And a pledge that no more land will be acquired from them for the next 30 years. The present landholders have made a killing on land appreciation and can now bear the burden of surrendering the same for the ‘good of the public’. It is anybody’s guess who all will be happy and will benefit from this.
