The Margao-Salcete disconnect

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I simply cannot understand the psyche of Saxttikar. The more I think, more and more questions chew my mind, with hardly any convincing answer to it. I also cannot understand why this psyche is exactly opposite to the psyche of Margao, the cultural capital of Goa and the taluka town of Salcete.

My last blog "Independent members of Congress family" recieved diverse reactions from various corners. One was from our own fraternity, from a senior retired journalist from South Goa. He said: The reason for degeneration of political scene was the GOA-N mentality. Being ‘small' is the root cause of it.

Obviously, he was hinting at Goa's merger with Maharashtra, which did not happen. Naturally, I countered it. "Sir, more degenerated are biggest states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Why is it so?"

He had his own justifications for the bigger states. But, in a way, he was right when he said there is explosion of power centres in Goa. 40 MLAs, 13 ministers, 40 Zilla Panchayat members, 186 panchayats for a STATE, which is smaller than Maharashtra's smallest district - Sindhudurg.

He was also right when he said the whole society has become corrupt, but we only blame the rulers for it. Corruption is not the issue any more in Goa. Degeneration is the issue. It could be arrested to certain extent, if Goa was ‘big'.

I differed with him. Even if Benaulim, Navelim and Velim are combined as one constituency, Alemaos or Pachecos would get elected. And even the whole Sattari and Bicholim taluka with five constituencies is converted into one or the whole Tiswadi is made into one, very difficult to defeat Vishwajeets and Mosnerattes. Why?

I went on quizzing...

And, during this period, one tiatrist politician from Salcete came to our Prudent office. I was discussing with him the possibilities in Benaulim. Mickky, Valanka or Dr Hubert?

"Dr Hubert cooks on a gas burner, not our traditional ‘randon," he said sarcastically, pointing out at his elite status.

But why not Valanka? She is intelligent, I argued.

"That's the main problem", he quipped, "our people don't like intelligent people."

We laughed. But it also made me think. What kind of political leaders Saxttikar like the most? Corrupt? Scammers? Smugglers? Goondas? Criminals? For that matter, this is common throughout Goa today. Money speaks; the character simply does not matter. From where the money comes also does not matter.

But Salcete matters  the most. Because this one taluka elects eight MLAs. One fifth of the strength of the state Assembly. And the rest four fifth is divided into 10 talukas. Secondly, almost half of our cabinet with six ministers (one just resigned) comes from this one taluka. They decide how Goa should and would run. Thirdly, Salcete is a step ahead of all other talukas, when it comes to throwing ethics and morality in politics to winds.

Do ethics and morality simply not matter to the Saxttikar voters?

I simply cannot understand the psyche of Saxttikar. The more I think, more and more questions chew my mind, with hardly any convincing answer to it. I also cannot understand why this psyche is exactly opposite to the psyche of Margao, the cultural capital of Goa and the taluka town of Salcete.

Margao, historically, is just not a cultural town. It's a cultured town. It has a great ideological history and tradition. This town has created many cultured legends for Goa, and even for India. It is this town that ignited Goa's liberation movement with Ram Manohar Lohia's civil disobedience protest in 1946. It is this town that laid down the roots of Opinion Poll in 1966, to retain Goa's own identity. It is this town that started a historical students' movement of Goa in 1976, which became a militant and vibrant student movement in ‘80s. It is this town that mobilised ‘real force' to make Konkani our official language and Goa a State.

It all happened in Margao. But its ideological ripples were felt down South, till Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona.  They got inspired, they got organised and they even got themselves streamlined to build a cultured Goa, on a strong ideological footing.

Many social activists, writers, artists, intellectuals and even politicians sprung up through these ripples. They are seen today in various fields, may it be education, law, health, literature, culture, journalism etc etc. Some are visible while many more are working silently, but sincerely and dedicatedly.

But why these strong ideological movements did not stir up the whole Salcete? Why wasn't there an ideological explosion of intellect, ethics, morality and sincerity at mass level in Salcete?

It does not mean that the villages of Salcete did not create legends at all. In fact, they did, than any other taluka.

The Salcete created a Parliamentarian and ideologue like Dr Francisco Luis Gomes in the 19th century. The Salcete created political ideologue of international repute like Dr Tristao Braganza Cunha, a vibrant journalist like Luis de Menezes Braganza, the founder of O Heraldo in 1900, great Buddhist and scholar of Sanskrit and Pali languages Dharmanand Kosambi and his equally great historian and scientist son Dr D D Kosambi, a dedicated priest  like Fr Antonio Pereira and many more. Even today, many living legends represent several villages of Salcete.

In spite of this, why the villages in Salcete could not pick up these cords? Why the alienation between the legends and the masses is so visible in Salcete?

I was born and brought up in Canacona. Me, and thousands like me, are products of the freedom movement of our border taluka, the committed educational movement of our villages, the divine environment of moralistic values, with living examples, that we experienced in the society around us and equally a great impact of the ideological base created for us by one town - Margao.

In our villages, a school is just not a place of education. It's an institution in itself. A literary forum, a cultural platform, a sports stadium, a reading library, a debating hangout... an exposure to everything that a human beings needs for his or her ideological upbringing and cultural shape-up.

And, mind you, the religion did not matter here. It was a case with Hindus and even the Christians. Even in Margao, we were inspired by ideologues and intellectuals belonging to all the religions. And even when I speak of Salcete, I am definitely not speaking of Christian Salcete alone. The Saxttikar belonging to all the religions. So, if somebody argues that it is a Hindu-Christian divide, they are WRONG.

But still Margao is different. It has many reputed schools. It has reputed institutions. It is a centre for literary activities and even big conferences. It has many libraries and book shops. Lectures of national and international personalities are organised in this town, in all the languages. It has many theatre halls to present tiatr, drama and musical concerts. It has movie halls and even film societies. It has biggest sports stadiums of the state. It has several institutions teaching music and dance.

It has practically everything to make a human being a cultured person. In fact, due to this, many families from neighbouring talukas of Ponda, Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona are shifting to Margao in a big way. The housing problem in Salcete has exploded also due to this inner migration.

Traditionally, Margao has always been a multipurpose centre for all the Saxttikar, just not a commercial city for marketing. It's a first choice for schooling for each and every Saxttikar. The higher education, obviously, has always been in Margao. In fact, they are the privileged ones who could enjoy the cultured tradition of Margao and go back to eat and sleep at home. We had to come and settle down in Margao to enjoy these privileges.

In spite of this, why did Margao culture not percolate down to the villages of Salcete in a visible manner? Why majority of Saxttikar cannot elect their political leaders, based on ideological and ethical footing? Is the perspective missing; or the ethical values?

I have been to all parts of Goa and lived in many villages, during my days of student movement. Among all, I simply LOVE Saxttikar. They are sensitive, frank and open-minded. They are equally emotional. Is it because of this simplicity that they are taken for a ride so easily? Does emotion and sensitivity override their logic and ideological culture? Or is the selfish attitude of all Goans exposed more prominently in Salcete? Is it simply the issue of selfishness or a cultural issue?

And on the other hand, has Margao remained so divine or is it a history? Because, today, one Margao has three Margao(s) in it. The Margao of original Madgaonkar. The Margao of migrated Goans. And the Margao of migrated non-Goans. Integration between these ‘three' has still not taken place. In fact, the one-time cultured city is quietly sitting on a time bomb that could explode any moment, a la communal riots! Murder of Goa's rich communal harmony in its own cultural capital!!

In such a situation, there is certainly a disconnect between Margao and Salcete that is hampering the political scenario of the state. Looks like Margao somehow could not influence Salcete. Contrary to this, a new question has arisen. Has Salcete started influencing Margao? Is immorality taking over morals and ethics? Is de-culturisation reigning over culturisation?

I may be right, may be wrong; but questions are many. Equally genuine. However, there is hardly any convincing answer to this disconnect...