Goa Forward: For Power or/and Goenkarponn?

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Who is the threat to Goa’s DNA? Only the BJP and the MGP? Then why did the Goan voters oust the Congress in 2012? Didn’t they damage the DNA of Goa?

The much-awaited regional party, remote-controlled by independent MLA Vijai Sardesai, is finally christened as Goa Forward. Former state election commissioner and educationist Prabhakar Timble is the president. Political activists working for Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal, from Margao, Porvorim and Bicholim, are its executive members. All the three independent legislators technically cannot join the political party, thus their proxies. The state-wide representation, as it was claimed by Sardesai, is yet to be established. May be its further expansion from present 11-member state committee to 30 will establish this claim. No problem, let’s wait till then.

The party has promised to come out soon with a detailed agenda on industry, service sector, tourism, solid waste management, agriculture, education, health, housing and real estate, governance and women and youth development. But it did spell out its 24-point key and prime commitments on land resource, employment, general welfare and governance. Some of these commitments look striking, like free water to households, free power for agriculture, free Wi Fi, affordable pricing of fish, coconut and bread, day care centres for senior citizens and children etc. Special Status through state legislations is the right approach rather than banging your head on the walls of North and South Blocks of New Delhi. But we have to wait till the party comes out with a detailed programme and policies. No problem, let’s wait till then.

Yet another stand of this new regional outfit is worth appreciating. They don’t want to touch ‘divisive issues which are raked up to vitiate the social atmosphere for political gains and vote bank politics.’ According to Timble, GF wants to resolve these issues through dialogue and consensus. He has promised not to widen this rift. It means the rift already exists. Timble however has not disclosed which issues the party refers to. But some issues are well-known, on which exist rifts in the Goan society. The Konkani-Marathi language issue, which Naresh Sawal is raking up, is a six-decade old controversy. Mopa-Dabolim is another issue, on which Sardesai tried to build his Ami Goenkar, dividing North and South Goa. GF has already set up an experts’ committee for Medium of Instruction issue, which is being communalised today. It needs to be seen how GF plans to resolve the issue of Konkani scripts that has split the Konkani movement on religious lines. And the most important issue of ‘Goans’ and influx of migrants. But we don’t know which issues GF looks as divisive issues. No problem, let’s wait till they pinpoint the issues.

But nobody can wait on one prominent aspect. And that is Goenkarponn, supposedly the core principle of Goa Forward. Timble defines Goenkarponn philosophically, calling it a mosaic of liberalism, pluralism, multilingualism, openness and bountiful nature. He calls it DNA of Goa. But what are the immediate issues threatening this Goenkarponn? Not spelt out. Coconut is the launching pad GF planning to use from Amdai, Sanguem, where coconut trees are already cut. Timble admits that he has not studied the issue thoroughly, thus did not know where in the Preservation of Trees Act the word coconut is included and excluded. A comprehensive Coconut Protection Act is not even thought of by the GF. They are still harping on bringing coconut under the Preservation of Trees Act, with limited protection to Goa’s Kalpavruksh.

There are also other issues threatening Goenkarponn today. For example, the Regional Plan. While Gram Sabhas are burning on this issue every Sunday, the Goa Forward did not even mention it in its key commitments. Nobody can dispute that Regional Plan is a documented roadmap to protect Goan identity and Goenkarponn.  But, except affordable housing for the homeless, nothing on housing policy, the want of which is today threatening Goan identity. The spree of outsiders buying holiday homes in Goa has made it extremely difficult for a Goan to buy affordable house. Rohan Khanute aggressively fought in the Assembly against having private forests in the midland and coastland when construction lobby is desperately trying to convert each and every inch of this land. No concern expressed over increasing pervert tourism, which has created ‘third Goa’, killing the basic spirit of Goenkarponn. Goa Forward doesn’t mind casinos if they are moved out of River Mandovi. And nothing so far on the increasing trend of urbanisation, which is crowding the cities and making villages lifeless.

And then comes the most crucial issue of reckless illegal mining, which broke the backbone of Goan economy forever. When media persons raised the issue of recovering Rs 35,000 crore quantified by Shah Commission, Timble started explaining how Shah Commission is not a judicial authority and how Supreme Court has not ordered to recover the loot. Does that mean that Goa Forward will always look forward to court orders to take action against the scamsters and looters? Or is mining loot an exception also to this new brand of Niz Goenkars, like the Congress and the BJP and the MGP and the GVP and… practically everybody! Does Goa Forward feel that rampant illegal mining by destroying forests, water sources and even human life never impacted and affected Goenkarponn? They have to come clean on the issue if people want to judge them in a proper perspective.

There is also an inherent contradiction which Goa Forward needs to clarify. It launched the party with two prime priorities.  

1. Goa’s inclusive development retaining Goenkarponn.
2. To oust the BJP from power, it is prepared to make sacrifices and work together with other political parties and independent politicians, even if they are not on the same platform on some issues.

Which are these parties? Timble says anybody and everybody, except the BJP and the MGP. Why? Because they are in power. Does that mean the first priority would also be sacrificed to achieve the second priority – of achieving power? And who is the threat to Goa’s DNA? Only the BJP and the MGP? Then why did the Goan voters oust the Congress in 2012? Didn’t they damage the DNA of Goa? And will the DNA of Goa be saved if Goa Forward sacrifices and join hands with the same Congress? And also other political characters who keep on jumping like frogs to gulp down anything and everything from any pond or a well? Bring back the old devils to oust a new devil? No criteria to judge Goenkarponn of these allies? Or will Goenkarponn be also sacrificed?

In that case, this so called ‘sacrificing spirit’ to desperately oust the BJP will not take Goa Forward, but will result into Goa Pause, or, may be, Goa Backward?