Has Goa Been Saved?

"If I had a better communication with Catholics this wouldn't have happened. Yes I have made mistakes." - Manohar Parrikar. I guess that sums it up. The BJP has conceeded defeat at the hands of the Congress. Although the Congress just fell short of the majority, they are expected to form the next government in Goa by taking the help of independents or any of the opportunistic smaller parties.

Before the elections, everyone was talking about "Saving Goa". So much so that one party called itself "Save Goa". The big questions now is whether Goa has been saved? The answer depends on what you think Goa should be saved from.

Saved from Communalism? I guess, yes. The fact that the BJP could not capitalize on the Regional Plan fiasco of the Congress says a lot about what the people of Goa believe happenned in Curchorem.

Saved from Corruption? No way... Come on. This is the Congress we are talking about here.

Saved from the Senseless Urbanization? I believe that Goa was saved from the senseless urbanization the day the Goa Bachao Abhiyan came into being. Goans cannot possibly expect to be saved by the Congress or the BJP or, for that matter, the Save Goa party. We need to go about saving ourselves. Whoever comes to power, the GBA is our best bet and saving Goa and it needs our support. You can report a violation by filling a simple online form.

In my opinion, the GBA has done the best thing in staying apolitical. After all, you need someone from the outside to keep a check on what's going on inside.