Goa has thousands of lawyers but only a few of them active in social justice causes, some in Goan cyberspace. Why is a such an educated community largely missing-in-action in the fight for rights, equality, various social justice causes (anti-corruption, etc.), the fight against MOPA, and in designing sound public policy? Generally they are absent in the development of Goa and Goans while the political class and large business houses ruin Goa. This is quite a serious indictment on the Goan legal community.
Are the law courses taught at the various Goan law colleges deficient since they seem to fail to inculcate basic civic and social outreach? What is a law degree worth without social responsibility? Is the legal community pretending to be asleep while the same group of Goan activists have to fight for public and social causes? How can a community (with some exceptions) be so insular and self-centered? In many places around the world, the legal community is at the forefront of change, but not in Goa. The legal community should lead in implementing sound public policy (agriculture, mining, land use, tourism, civil rights, equality, etc.). Is there any hope the Goan legal community will not shirk its enormous responsibility and obligation to the citizens of Goa or will history treat it justifiably as having failed Goa? George
