The BJP is trying to sow division ahead of the Assembly elections. The focus must remain on widespread corruption and the destruction of Goa’s environment, land and identity. Whatever the motives behind the religious conversion bill, it is a polarising issue with an audience. Just as George Bush used Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), the BJP is now deploying Weapons of Mass Distraction. Opposition leaders and the public must be careful not to take the bait.
The BJP’s present majority was not the mandate of the electorate but the result of defections driven by corruption. The party has also become home to dynasts and former Congress leaders whom the BJP itself once accused of corruption. The focus must remain on unitedly fighting to protect Goa’s land and environment and defeating the defectors. For too long, the BJP has used nationalism and religion to manipulate public sentiment and distract people from the issues that truly matter. Do not take the bait.
Errol Moraes, Cuncolim
