The forthcoming Lok Sabha elections will be a crucial litmus test for Goans, almost like the Opinion Poll of 1967. The challenge of that referendum was to protect Goa’s identity.
Today, it is another challenge to safeguard Goenkarponn, based on humanity and love, by rejecting the growing hate politics.
This was the unanimous opinion expressed by senior journalists at the panel discussion held after the release of Sandesh Prabhudesai’s Double Engine: History of Goa Lok Sabha Elections.
The panel consisted of experienced Goan journalists Gurudas Sawal, Anil Pai, Prakash Kamat, and Julio D'Silva. The discussion was moderated by Kuldeep Kamat.
What emerged from the debate was that Goa is a model for the entire country, which has been practicing communal harmony. But, the growing culture of hate politics in the name of religion or regionalism is damaging the ethos of Goenkarponn.
In the same way that Goenkars proudly got together in 1967 to retain Goa’s identity, Goans need to unitedly vote against the enemies of Goenkarponn, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, the panelists said.
Veteran journalist Anil Pai said that politicians are misusing migrant voters as vote bank by providing them with basic necessities of living as a ‘political favour’, which is actually is their right as Indian citizens.
Goans should educate these migrants about their fundamental rights as Indian citizens by treating them as human beings working for the welfare of Goa.
Sawal, another veteran journalist, said voters in rural areas like Pernem rejected the Congress in the 1960s because the party promoted landlords as candidates.
Unfortunately, the political parties of kull and mundkars have become the pirates of selfish leaders today.
D’Silva observed that regional parties of Goa have become irrelevant in parliamentary polls because they have detached themselves from the masses.
Today, the one-time people-centric parties have become leader-centric, cutting themselves away from peoples’ aspirations.
Citing examples of some Assembly and Lok Sabha elections, Kamat pointed out that parties like the BJP emerged in Goa by breaking the selfish Congressmen and women leaders into factions, while appeasing the majority community, which was neglected by the ruling Congress.
If a similar trend continues, majoritarian politics will start dominating Goan politics, he added.
The discussion was followed by questions raised by the audience, including Victor Gonsalves, Uday Deshprabhu, Gary Azavedo, Naman Sawant Dhavaskar, Albertina Almeida, Prashant Naik, Jarrot D’Silva, Hrishikesh Kadam and Kishor Naik Gaonkar.
