Herald, March 4 2008 2 yrs on, communal riots bring govt apathy to fore BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 3 — It’s exactly two years that Goa got a blot on its secular image when the State witnessed communal riots at Guddemol in Sanvordem-Curchorem but the State government hardly seems to have acted on the Magisterial inquiry report as far as taking measure to prevent such ugly incidents in the future. “I don’t know of any recommendation that has been acted upon”, said Adv Albertina Almeida of Citizens’ Initiative for Communal Harmony – an organization which strongly pressed not only for any inquiry but also for the report to be made public. “Leave alone acting on the recommendations, the government is yet to understand the seriousness of the issue. It has not changed its superficial approach”, said Ramesh Gauns another coordinator of CICH. Fundamentalist forces are very active in Goa and they are implementing their Action Plan – short term and long term – in a systematic manner, Gauns said adding that on the face of it, their agenda is difficult to be understood by the common man. There is continuous effort to poison the minds of the people particularly the school children with hate propaganda in the form of exhibitions, said Adv Almeida. Gauns is of the view that the divisive forces are taking advantage of the people’s prejudice against non-Goan migrants coming into Goa. And he alleged, they have a major political party to back them. Politically speaking, Gauns said Congress leaders have no policy at all while BJP has it in place. There is no Congress, he said adding that their leaders only use the party’s label and do nothing to propagate secularism. Adv Almeida said the people need to be cautious of the fanatical elements in Goa itself who are out to disturb the social harmony in the State. She demanded that the government must act immediately on the Inquiry report submitted by then North Goa District Magistrate Nikhil Kumar. -- Question everything -- Karl Marx
