*By Nisser Dias 1st Aug 2013* * *
*Sinister design to pitch Goans against each other* Since the formation of this government a disturbing trend is evolving which if analysed does not seem healthy for Goa. There is distinct design to create a divide between the people on the basis of issues all for the sake of political gains and to force people to toe the line of the government. If this disturbing plan is not nipped in the bud, Goa which is acclaimed for its hospitality, friendliness and tolerance will be buried in the mining pits of the state. In April this year some Right to Information (RTI) activists were meeting in Margao to discuss Shah Commission report on illegal mining. Among the group were senior citizens besides individuals with social standing in the society who had voiced their objection to illegal mining as it was destroying our forests, rivers and other water bodies, obliterating agriculture in the mining areas and also ruining the health of our people. The discussion itself was academic in nature, it was not a public meeting or an open forum but it was disrupted by some unruly elements brought in by busloads to attack the harmless activists. Worse still the police refused to register a FIR against the accused for want of a complaint. Subsequently when the complaint was filed by one of the victims, police registered it against unknown persons and till date the case has not moved forward as in the police have not even started its investigation. Of course the police cannot just sleep on complaints such as mob attacking innocent citizens unless directions are conveyed directly from the top and we all know it to be the case. The second instance is of the formation of the ‘close down Dabolim’ group. The idea behind this plan is to counter the movement headed by Fr. Eremito Rebello to save the existing airport as the sole airport of Goa. The movement against another airport at Mopa had started more than seven years back. Even then Sandeep Kambli from Mopa has been the voice of farmers there opposing it. But suddenly now another group has been formed to counter Sandeep and ‘No to Mopa only Dabolim’ group. This has naturally brought in a divide in Mopa between the villagers Sandeep is representing and the newly promoted group likely with the backing (financial and muscle) of the political class. To me it seems that the formation of a new group is more to counter the agitation led by Fr. Eremito against Mopa rather than Sandeep. I say this because it is an open secret that Fr. Rebello has the backing of the church - a force to reckon with, a force that can change the opinion of the people and wake them up to oppose the government. Most of the politicians irrespective of the political party they belong to, have vested interests in setting-up of airport at Mopa and chief minister Manohar Parrikar is leading from the front in setting up this airport. He knows very well that if his party or government opposes Fr. Eremito’s movement it is bound to attract communal dimensions. So the best thing to do is engineer a group to support his government policies and plans at the same time counter the civilian group opposing his ideas. In this manner the government gets to remain neutral of both the groups at the same time manipulate the groups and push its agenda ahead. It is mystery why the group started by Fatorda MLA against Mopa to save Dabolim fell silent. Then let us come to agitation started again in Salcete taluka by the parents against the extension of school timings. In a poll conducted by some parents of a prestigious school in Margao, almost 98 percent of parents were against the extension of time. Some parents started correspondence and dialogue with the principals, PTAs, Directorate of Education and even the Education minister. Seeing that the movement was gathering steam all over the state, some parents from one school in Sanquelim were propped up to derail this movement by demanding full day from 10.00am to 5.00pm. During the meeting with the chief minister Manohar Parrikar who obliged to hear parents at Loyola High School wherein parents from Canacona to Sanquelim to Mapusa placed their grievances before him for which he assured a solution. Chief minister’s subsequent decision or confusion is a different matter. What I’m trying to point out is that another group of parents was formed to counter parents demanding reverting to old timings. I see a very sinister design to counter all agitations by the civilian society against the functioning of government. This is likely to create distrust among Goans which would not be very healthy for the polity in the future. But politicians will go to any length to stay in power or rather to hold sway over the people. Years back people had to only raise their voice against an issue and the Opposition party would lend all its support in full strength to the movement. But today intra-party differences offers an opportunity to the ruling dispensation to manipulate and bulldoze its citizens. Chief minister Manohar Parrikar is in Salcete almost every week to woo Xaxtikars. It does not need a rocket scientist to realise his agenda. He wants to wean it away from the Congress at the same time tame Xaxtikars not to go against his government. People from Salcete are known to take agitation to its logical end and that is what he is worried of. His statement like he always used to think of people of Salcete as angry people but he has now released they are very malleable people who trust easily are words to win over the hearts. But the chief minister should realise that people of Salcete will not sell their soul for sweet words nor would they cow down to threats, pressures and formation of groups to counter their movement. * Send your comments/reactions to **nisserd...@gmail.com*<nisserd...@gmail.com> * Or SMS 9422437029)* -- Nisser