The recent attacks on Dr Inacio Fernandes and Nurbert Fernandes during a gram sabha for raising health and environmental concerns are deeply troubling.
These issues, framed within the Indian Constitution and upheld by courts, were met with violence, even in the presence of the police. Such disregard for law and order is alarming and demands immediate attention from the Home Minister and state judiciary.
The selective enforcement of noise pollution laws highlights systemic bias. Police quickly act against individuals playing loud music at weddings but turn a blind eye to violations by clubs and restaurants. Despite years of hearings in the Bombay High Court, no decisive action has been taken, allowing noise pollution to persist unchecked.
This reflects governance that favors money and muscle over the rights of law-abiding citizens. Gram sabhas, meant for peaceful discourse, are turning into arenas of intimidation, undermining democracy.
Tourists enjoying Goa must consider the plight of its residents, whose rights are trampled for profit. True democracy demands adherence to constitutional values, not hollow rhetoric. Governance must protect the rights of all, not just the powerful, to ensure justice and equality prevail.
