(Gabriel de Figueiredo wrote: So 44 years on, Goa has deteriorated from being a neat and civilized society to the shambles it is today.)
Gabriel, Goa might look like "shambles" to you from Melbourne, but to people like us (resident Goans and other Indians familiar with the place), it's a far more progressive, prosperous and democratic State than the colonial backwater that it was when taken from the Portuguese. As another poster has pointed out (to whom you replied), Portuguese Goa was a "neat and civilized society" only to the miniscule minority of bhatkars and their progeny like you. For the vast majority, it was an awful place with few opportunities, no freedom and zilch hope, so that they were forced to migrate to all parts of the globe. It's quite easy to put a gloss over distant events and physical distance makes it easier to talk down to native Indians, especially when you're in a developed country. But let me tell you (and others of your ilk), my friend, you're suffering from hypochondria -- things are not so bad as you imagine them to be. We've our imperfections and shortcomings but we're doing fine, sir! Regards, RKN
