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The days of Goa appear to be numbered. And it has nothing to do with the new "number plate" resentments. Instead, a new law awaits Goa and most importantly, Goan villages which threatens to change the Goan demography, Goan landscape, Goan beauty, Goan environment and the Goan way of life - forever. With disastrous implications.
The amendment to the Panchayati raj act 2009, which was unanimously passed by the ruling Congress woven coalition in the Goa assembly this month is yet another attempt to hoodwink Goans and foist on us the gargantuan plans of c
The way the bill itself was passed is pretty disgusting. The opposition party, the BJP which cries hoarse at every flimsy opportunity aimed at nailing the ruling combination chose to have a token protest, lest it not be said that they were supporting the bill. Simply exposes how powerful the builders lobby in Goa is.
Manohar Parrikar and his band of boys, instead of a thorough dressing down of the bill and the government, decided to concentrate on the purview of the miniscule issue of the panchayat secretary's boss and his creator of commands as being ambiguous in the bill. With the answers not fulfilling his satisfaction, the BJP stalwart decides to stage a walkout with his men, which facilitates the bill to have a safe passage .While leaving he makes sure that the world hears his words of protest as he shouted " we will not be a party to this bill". There could not be a better tiatr, could there?
However in doing the above, the wily politician may believe that he satisfied everyone while probably helping himself to a good laugh besides other things. One, he ensured that the bill was passed without much of his protests which should satisfy all stakeholders in the passing of the bill. Two he lived upto the reputation of opposition parties (and his own) to atleast oppose a bill come what may. Third he ensured that the general Goan public opposed to the bill, find it difficult to club him and his party with the supporters of the bill. However while he may have fooled some Goans, most will surely see through his actions and I am sure those voices will be heard sooner than later.
Can you imagine a law intended to deny Goans their right to speak against the rampant development of land with concrete jungles emerging all over? All powers vested in the bureaucracy of Goa? In short all powers vesting in the ministers, their accomplices, their henchmen and their greedy wolves who can decide what, how ,when and why your village needs thousands and lakhs of new inhabitants with more garbage, rationed water, more floods, lesser greenery, more migrants and more crime?
With such a dangerous situation on hand, our opposition party has lived up to their reputation of opposing trivial issues and ignoring the more important ones. While the whole of Goa and every panchayat in the state is gearing up for an agitation against the draconian bill, our opposition party has chosen to shift focus and agitate against some inconsequential , pedestrian issues such as the Shimnit Utsch number plates . Are vehicle number plates more important to the welfare of Goa? Or has Shimnit failed to satisfy the aspirations of our political class across the whole spectrum which the builders lobby may have smartly managed?
As if we didn't know!