The BJP bigwigs keep on pushing the slogan sub ke saath whilst blatantly polarizing the nation with its aggressive Hindutva agenda. When it suits the government admits in the Delhi High Court that India has many unique problems like illiteracy, vast diversity in poverty, women's emancipation and empowerment, cultural mindsets, etc in connection with marital rape. When former vice-president Hamid Ansari expresses concern about cultural nationalism and his observations at an American Muslim Convention abroad, the government goes hammer and tongs calling his and other American citizen's opinions preposterous, India haters and even utilizes the MEA to emphasize India is a vibrant democracy with free speech and everything is tickety boo. Any criticism is anti-national and this hyper nationalism and excessive touchiness kills democracy and unity in diversity. Why not simply confidently ignore and prove them wrong by deeds? The opposition which must be strong is fragmented in 2022, all wanting to trump the BJP juggernaut. However, each party is trying to do so without uniting which makes no sense. The weak when united are strong and all the hype and freebees promised in their manifestos makes people skeptical and it is easy for the BJP to prevail. If they really cared for Goa and good governance, they could have put aside their individual biases for a people's oriented common minimum programme and choose only competent candidates thus not only procuring a landslide victory, but contributing to a happy and prosperous Goa!
John Eric Gomes, Porvorim
