Dear Jason,
You might have misunderstood me. I don't say ban all bandhs. Make those
that call for a bandh responsible for the damage that occurs. I'm upset
that those that call for a bandh, get away with it so easily. They've
disrupted life, caused loss of private and public property, and nobody's
held responsible for that. Today, you see them proclaiming how it was a
success and that the whole of Goa has supported them. This has cause
many like Dr. Barad to believe them. Instead, I'm reasonably sure that
most of Goa remained closed out of fear of non compliance. This despite
Government assurances that police would protect open establishments. I
think Marshall's suggestions to follow the ways of Gerson D'Cunha and
Alyque Padamsee in filing a PIL against the Akhil Goa Mandir Suraksha
Samiti and the BJP who have activly and openly supported the bandh
should be done. If there's anybody that knows how to draft a PIL, or any
non political NGO willing to take them on, I'd lend assistance in
whatever small way I can as I don't have the time nor resources to do
this on my own.
Navtara Restaurant in Maupsa is a classic example of how administration
failed a number of times and finally turned around and then 'advised'
him to shut for the day. The owner now has been threatened and his
restaurant destroyed by stoning, nor no real crime of his. When the
Government in power reassures its people that theres nothing to worry,
their own ministers, and state police turn around, and assist in the
bandh enforcement and blame it on a 'law and order problem'.
I have no problem if a bandh is called for and people shut shop
voluntarily. Go around if you want to convince them to shut shop, but
only if you want to explain your reasons of the bandh, not with a mob
that threatens to break or stone a shop if they remain open. These are
the actions of Goons. Stopping the sale of essential items, medicines,
food and fuel is criminal. Stoning of buses? Is that justified? Why
should we not be upset even if a single bus is stoned? Have we accepted
destruction of public property as the done thing for protests? I'm sure
a lot of students are upset that they now have to spend their diwali
vacations with their books due to postponed exams.
What about the environment? The burning rubber tyres have led to huge
amounts of unnecessary pollution! For what? To prove a point that the
Government is not in control? Is that even justifiable?
100 trees are cut in Sanguem! 100!! What good is any tree pantation
drive if 100 trees are felled on a single day, just to block internal
roads and enforce a bandh? Do we mean to say that there aren't any
other democratic ways of protesting the damage of a single temple at
Paroda? (until yesterday) An entire state held to ransom by anti-social
elements and the opposition BJP, and the Congress government watches on.
Utter nonsense, and all I can say is that I'm disgusted.
Clinton..
Benaulim, Goa
9890936828
Ps: On another point, Goa, as a collective soul already seems to have
forgotten the attack on Prajal & Aires. 6 days for us to forget, a new
record?
