For the first time in the state’s history, Goa Liberation Day 2020 was marred by the shocking and unprecedented rounding up of innocent youth and citizens by the Goa police. By now, not only Goa, but the rest of the nation are aware and conversant with the distasteful and highly condemnable incidents that occurred. Citizens and youth seeking to celebrate Liberation Day on a private property were at the receiving end of heavy handed, tyrannical and unwarranted police repression, that included an unbelievable hijacking of buses to multiple and undisclosed locations across Goa.
These incidents, which succeeded in turning Goa Liberation Day 2020 into a dark chapter of Goa’s history, also shed light upon the following unpalatable truths : 1. Based on the predictable Gujarat model of governance, where a wall was constructed to conceal the squalor of a slum on the path of a Trump-Modi roadshow, the Goa Government sought to sanitize the capital city of all citizens that they feared might mar the carefully crafted illusion of model governance and contented populace. 2. The Goa Government is under the mistaken impression that the youth of Goa are just empty vessels ripe for indoctrination. In their estimation, the youth are without analytical minds that can assess the ramifications on their future of all that is being ruthlessly pushed through by the powers that be. Seemingly, the government of Goa also appears to believe that Goan youth lack character to speak out and stand up for what they believe in. Hence, the repeated allegations insulting the youth and accusing them of allowing themselves to be used by protestors, resulting in the arrest of Capt. Viriato Fernandes and Dr. Fr. Bolmax Pereira in this connection. 3. The incidents of 19th December also vindicate the stand of various groups, who allege that the Goa Government is decimating and destroying Goa, at the cost of the health, livelihood and future of its people, just to fulfill the mandate of its Central bosses and their capitalist cronies. In the same way, citizens were traumatized and deprived of participating in the joy of liberation day by the government and its police arm. This was without any valid reason whatsoever, or any unlawful act being committed, just to preserve a comfortable illusion for the benefit of the President from Delhi. It is an indication of the anti Goan mindset of the Chief Minister and his cabinet that they excluded Goans from coming together as a community to partake of the celebrations. The alleged incompetence of the Goa government and its police force are also seen once again in the knee jerk reactions of detaining and alarming citizens without any reason, and their handling of patriotic and innocent youth who had come from all parts of Goa to express their joy in this hard won liberation. It is a matter of great distress that a day celebrating the fruition of the hard work and extreme sacrifices of so many freedom fighters should be marked by a ruthless curbing of the freedom and liberty of Goan citizens to celebrate this day upon which they were released from colonial domination, by their very own government. Goa is erupting with protests. The unresponsive Government seems to be totally focused on fulfilling the orders of their Central bosses and the capitalist cronies, whilst repressing the cries of the people they are supposed to represent. Our nation has chosen to live in a democratic system, according to the Constitution of India. Such autocratic and repressive behavior on the part of the Government and its police force will not succeed in breaking the backbone of the people’s movement. The Government and its Ministers cannot keep conveniently changing the goal posts to justify the havoc that is being wreaked all over the State and its people. GOENCHO AVAAZ strongly condemns the high handedness of the Goa Government through its police force. Liberation Day should have been a strong reminder to the Government that colonial despotism has been relegated to the dustbin of history. It is a regrettable reality that the Goa Government appears to have used this auspicious day to resurrect a dark and dismal past. Jai Goa, Jai Hind ! Team Goencho Avaaz https://youtu.be/W4IFh1rLtcQ