The state of affairs in Goa could not be described better. This is exactly how things stand.
Adieus beautiful land!!! Bernice Pereira Sent from my iPhone > On 01-Jan-2020, at 1:23 AM, Rajan Parrikar <parri...@gmail.com> wrote: > > The Decade Goa Died > > > The final day of the decade is upon us, a decade that witnessed the end of > Goa as we have known it. After the period of the initial Portuguese > takeover and savagery, it was the most transformative decade in Goa’s > history for the sweeping assault on its land and its culture. > > > And in the past two decades the most consequential man in Goa was Manohar > Parrikar. Goa’s uniqueness was that it was “NOT-India.” Visually and > culturally we were different from the rest of the country. Under > Manohar-bab, Goa merged into the Indian sewer. He fashioned it into a > concrete swamp - a dirty, noisy urban hovel with garbage and trash the > defining visual constants. No builder went away unrewarded under > Manohar-bab. > > > Under Manohar-bab’s watch, migrants from India, rich and poor, flooded into > Goa in record numbers and overpowered us Goans demographically and > culturally. The gentle Goan way of life gave way to the Punjabified, > Bhaiyya-fied crudeness of Delhi and surrounds. Slums expanded their > footprint far and wide as did Drugs and Prostitution. Our rivers were > soiled and polluted, our air quality was degraded. > > > A tiny section of Goan cronies reaped enormous benefits while the quality > of life worsened for the rest even as their incomes marginally increased. > Mine owners, Casino owners, and Builders made off like bandits. Corruption > scaled new frontiers and heights. Law and order went to the dogs; concerns > about personal safety and safety on roads are today a fact of life. > > > These are INCONTROVERTIBLE facts, not opinions. You don’t have to take my > word for it. Trust your eyes and your nose (which you have to hold as you > walk around Goan cities and towns these days). > > > This is the corrupt LEGACY of Manohar Parrikar which we are told we should > celebrate at a cost of 13 crores of rupees. It would require mass delusion > and suspension of reality to pull this off but I have no doubt that Goans > are capable of it. Just listen to the bamons extolling the Great Leader > even as they privately complain about the state of affairs. > > > In my opinion, Manohar Parrikar will be seen by history as the man who > dealt the decisive, fatal blow to Goa. In 2012, through what seemed like a > divine intervention, he was swept back into power. He had the force of > virtually every Goan behind his back and the political capital to reverse > course and do good for Goa and Goans. Instead he pissed it all away. > > > Let me end on a personal note. > > > In 2013 when Manohar-bab got word that my 92 year old father was at the > GMC, he immediately called the hospital administration. I didn’t seek or > ask special favours. Moments before my father was to be wheeled into the > operation theatre, Manohar-bab called me asking to speak to my father. I > handed the phone to my father. After their brief conversation ended, my > father and I smiled, unable to express anything verbally, as I saw him > disappear behind the door of the OT. He never came out of the operation > alive. Manohar-bab was the last person he spoke to. That despite a public > falling out Manohar-bab set aside our mutual animus showed his warm and > caring side. He was a wonderful man in many respects. > > > I mourn Manohar-bab’s passing for I know too well the chasm between what > was possible for Goa and the current state of reality. My friend Dr. Anil > Desai and I were truer friends to him than all the chamchas and yes-men he > surrounded himself with. For we held him to HIS OWN professed beliefs and > standards of public service. > > > Goodbye Manohar-bab. And goodbye Goa. > > > > Rajan Parrikar > > Dec 31, 2019 > > Panjim, Goa