Writing in moira-net Bosco D'Sa of Moira said
"Dear Netters,
I would like to discuss... our village...
specially our day to day problems... as we are facing a security
threat with a lot of non Goans... specially from Karnataka, Orissa
and the other adjoining states."
I'd like to reply to him on goanet because his apprehensions are
similar to those which a lot of other Goan villagers, and indeed town
people have and because the 'ghanti' which is whom D'Sa is actually
referring to, is one of the most favourite subjects of goanet and
anyway there's already a flourishing Insider - Outsider discourse on
here.
I can speak from experience about the subject of security, as I had
the not so pleasant experience of having my house burgled in broad
daylight some 4 years ago. The robbery took place between 8 a.m. and 2
p.m. the time when both my wife and I are at work. The thieves got
away with an amount of about Rs. 1 lakh in gold jewelery and cash.
Who did it? The knee jerk reaction would be to blame the 'ghanti'. But
if one thinks about it, this has to be an Insider job, for only
someone with knowledge of our movements could have planned this pretty
daring operation. Actually maybe I exaggerate on the daringness bit,
because although my house lies on the main road, behind it is a forest
and my place can easily be approached from there without being seen.
But it's also possible for a local to have come in through the back or
even front gate without arousing much suspicion. The neighbors are
anyway too busy with their own chores to pay any notice.
What I'm trying to say is that - yes it is possible that that the
robbery was an outsider job, but I doubt it. The whole thing was too
amateurish, the idiots actually missed the most valuable, and for
sentimental reasons most precious item, a gold set gifted to my wife
by her Mum.
Most probably it was someone who I'm on Hail Fellow Well Met terms;
and if at all an outsider was in on it, he was a pawn masterminded by
the former.
So let's get to he bottom of the problem. Moira is at present crawling
with ghantis, as on the left hand side of the road digging is going o
to put a cable for broadband, courtesy BSNL, and on the right hand
side, digging is going on to lay a cable for broadband, courtesy Goa
Govt. And we must welcome them both with both hands because 1) we the
rich arrogant residents of Moira all crave for BB and 2) not one of us
is prepared to do the dirty work that is involved in laying those
cables.
Are those dirty smelly ghantis thieves? I doubt it. So who are the
criminals of Moira? Come with me for a drink to any of the many bars
in my village. and just observe who are the customers there. Yes, many
of my childhood friends will be found drinking there. Many do not have
any known source of income. So from where do they get the money to
fund their not that cheap addiction, at least when there are no
Parliament, Assembly or Panchayat elections, when there is a lot of
funding indeed? Your guess is as good as mine.
Don't mistake me - of course there are professionals who come to Goa
every now and then and do those spectacular jobs on the jewelery
stores and the stinking rich. But these aren't the people Bosco is
worried about, because my guess is they will be as inconspicuous as
they can be.
Let me conclude this already overlong missive: the ghantis are not
thieves, not that is, until they become sufficiently Goanised. Until
they become accustomed, after living here in accommodation which we
provide to them on rent, so that we can live a life of luxury, to a
lotus eating life, like the one you and I live, At that time there's
no point in pointing fingers at them - by that time they're like us
only -no?
Augusto Pinto
40, Novo Portugal,
Moira, Bardez,
Goa, India
E [EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
P 0832-2470336
M 9881126350
