The Goan (not the newspaper) is swamped in his own backyard. Goans have, by nature, generally lived in peace and harmony, and even when they migrated to other states and abroad, they have kept the Goan traditions but merged with the neighbours and surroundings. It is said you can take Goans out from Goa but never Goa out of Goans. It is a fact that wherever they are in the world, there are Goan associations, even a popular Goan channel Radio Mango beamed from Canada, etc. Ever since liberation and integration with our motherland, people from all over India, be it from the central administration, all types of residents from other states, migrant labour, have all rushed to tiny Goa, bringing their rich cultures and cuisines with their customs and traditions, also some undesirable traits.
Goans, some of them going abroad due to circumstances, are being rapidly overwhelmed by their identity and land being purchased/taken over. Goa has one of the highest per capita income and literacy in India, and the socio-economic scenery is changing at warp speed. There is rapid development in roads, infrastructure, overemphasis on tourism, and indiscriminate land/water use to the detriment of the resident Goan. There is a tendency to employ outside architects/agencies/professionals, etc, even when today we have some of the best talents here. The present majority government has all decisions being controlled and made in Delhi. Enriching our culture and development is one thing, but swamping it with money power and electoral manipulations is another.
Taking over grassroots organizations like Gram Sabhas and development without democratically consulting Goans or proper environment impact assessment is necessary in order not to destroy this once beautiful fertile paradise and rapidly take it to the status of a polluted concrete jungle like Delhi is something that the residents are fearfully and helplessly struggling against. There is a lack of sync between the panchayats, youth, and constant interference by MLAs/government to bulldoze their agenda. Goa is undergoing drastic changes economically, culturally, demographically, and there is a struggle for existence by the Goan community to retain their heritage, traditional occupations and way of life.
There is overpowering of community interests and a lack of implementation of laws equitably. In India, children are generally born into a family that professes a certain status, caste and religion. The children have no choice and when adults are educated, should have freedom of choices, to remain in the same religion, change to another or come to the conclusion that religion divides and perhaps choose to have no religion. With the Corona pandemic and rapid technological advances, the world has perforce become a global village. Wars and phenomena in any part of the world affect us all in one way or another. Goa can no longer remain a susegad or undeveloped tropical paradise as hitherto and thankfully has a culture that is a beautiful blend of east and west, never having lost its Indian flavour.
It is clearly visible in the fusion music, song and dance, art, cuisine, architecture and legacy of her history. The Goan is generally uniquely peaceful, happy-go-lucky, secular, tolerant, helpful, talented and broadminded, cutting across parochial attitudes and narrow interests which is why they are prospering all over the world, not only as chefs, drunk menial labour and musicians as they are made out to be in some Bollywood and other serials. When wiser statesmen, intellectuals and truly patriotic Indians have already debated every aspect before framing our Constitution which is quite clear on religions and conversions, why interference by the State in my freedom of thought, beliefs and choices? We have 29 States with vast differences, and why is the ruling party being permitted to religiously straightjacket the government and our diversity?
Religions have been traditionalised, ritualised, and demand currency and gold in God’s name. Across the board, there is an insatiable greed for money and power offered in return for their corrupt deeds, conniving games and for their own safety and protection first. How can a just God create castes and sub-castes, decide who can touch him for favours and who cannot? Will reason, truth, science, tolerance, compassion and humility triumph over blind hate, arrogance, superstition, organised multinational commerce, electoral choices and even wars in God’s name? I will not touch the frenzy and controversy that is now building up in all states over the Ram temple grand inauguration.
Let us ensure that 2024 brings some sanity in our politics and an end to hate, suspicion, diplomacy that divides, has resulted in Manipur, a thriving arms economy which kills and maims, leads to atrocities like the Ukraine and Palestine wars on the world stage. That all Indians are allowed to live peacefully in our democratic federal government in freedom as beautifully spelt out in our non-colonial Constitution which encompasses the best of all the Constitutions in the world and no Goans will have to fight to protect their land, identities living happily with true unity in diversity.
