Oscar Rebello: I am a social activist by accident 'You can remove the Goan from the GBA but you can never remove GBA from the Goan.' This was the candid statement made by former convenor of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, Dr Oscar Rebello. In a tete-a-tete with ARTI DAS, he spoke at length about the GBA, Goan politics and the art of being happy.
Q: Can you tell us about the experience of being convenor of the GBA and what you learnt from it? It was a wonderful experience. Actually, I am a social activist by accident. I thought of joining it during the tree-cutting incident at Taleigao that resulted in the arrest of Patricia Pinto and Satish Sonak. I really admire the work of these social workers and I don't think I had the time and commitment towards it because of my practice -- as I am a full-time physician. You have to study laws and acquaint yourself with the social problems afflicting the people. But, I never had time for that. Also, it was nice to see different people with different ideologies joining hands for a common cause. Q: The GBA went through two phases -- first, when it opposed the Regional Plan 2011 and second, when it was part of the process to formulate a new plan. Which was more difficult? The first phase was much easier as it is very easy to destroy something. The latter part of construction was quite difficult. It was so because it had different viewpoints and opinions. It was difficult to come at any consensus. People of Goa were really disturbed and somehow I felt that we were squeezed between the people of Goa and the government. Q: During the whole process you got a chance to interact with politicians on a more personal level. Has this changed your opinion about politicians? Personally, I never hated politicians. Their lives are quite different and are very much committed towards their work. However, there are some who are taking Goans for a ride. Our aim at GBA was to guard against politicians' attempting to hijack our movement. Being part of the Task Force, I interacted with many politicians and they really gave some valuable suggestions. Politicians like Matanhy Saldanha, Manohar Parrikar, Mauvin Godinho and Victoria Fernandes had some good ideas. But, there are politicians who play games to come in power. Q: GBA made you more famous than you already were. Of course, your skills as a public speaker also helped. Are there any chances of you joining active politics in the near future? Being a good orator does not mean you are a good politician. As I said before, I don't have time for that social commitment. And I think that I am a good communicator who did the job of passing our message to the society, and I did only that. I believe that my contribution to the GBA is just two per cent. The rest of the groundwork was done by the other members. It is just that the media needed a face for the organization and that was mine. For me, politics is a totally different ball-game altogether. It requires a lot of study of the matter, commitment and I don't think that I am equipped for that. Q: Do you think that the GBA should have been dismantled soon after the Regional Plan 2011 was scrapped by the government? GBA was not some association but an idea that brought people together. If we had to dismantle it after the scrapping of the Regional Plan, then it would have been like shunning our responsibilities. It was very important to work towards the solutions and participate in the process. Q: Is your resignation a result of the failure to bring about a consensus in the GBA on certain issues? Yes I accept it as my personal failure. I feel that I couldn't hold people together and also couldn't push forward my viewpoints forcefully. But I am now not in a mood to join back. At the same time, I am of the opinion that I did my best. There is a lot of distrust now. I hope the new Regional Plan 2021 will come up as a healthy plan. I think ideally we need environmentalists, social activists, builders, mine owners, and people from every field to sit together and come up with an ideal solution. But, for this, you need an honest government. Q: What do you have to say about Goa's current social structure? And what are your suggestions to bring about harmony? If you look around then you will realize that Goans are not happy with the current situation. The most important solution is that we should all respect the law of the land. Here, you will find people breaking laws to get their work done, which makes the situation more chaotic. People should be more responsible towards it. The other aspect is the environmental conservation of Goa to maintain its natural beauty. Lastly, we must address the economic issues more strongly. For example, if we put a ban on mining activities, then at the same time we should introduce an alternative, thus no one suffers. Q: It is always said that government is a reflection of the people. So, do you think that we got the government we deserve? Yes, you can say so. And that's why I always say that we have to first change our social reforms and then expect political reforms to happen. Q: Now that you are no longer the convenor of the GBA, what is keeping you busy these days? It is my practice and more practice. There were days when I had to leave the GBA meeting in between as I used to get calls from my patients. But i had to go because of my professional commitments. Now, I am relaxed and enjoying my 'mental holiday'. [GOMANTAK TIMES, August 7, 2008, Page A10] Contact the writer: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact the newspaper: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
