Category: Popular Essays

Popular Essays

In Life and Death: Politics and Politicians

By DALE LUIS MENEZES

In Goan politics, the politician is an indispensable cult figure, one whose image is more important than his or her ability to discharge his or her public responsibilities. The unexpected presence of the ailing Pandurang Madkaikar, Cumbharjua MLA, for the first time in public in 11 months, at the floor test of the BJP government, a few weeks ago is a case in point. Madkaikar, who suffered a brain stroke last year, has been away from public life all this while. Despite his ill health, Madkaikar contributed, or was forced to contribute, to the cutthroat power struggles, even though he has not discharged his public responsibilities and was dispensed from his minister’s post since last year.

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Popular Essays

The ‘Gilded Cage’ of Progress

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

There was a time when the oppressive situation that women were in was brazenly obvious- patriarchal laws, distinctly patriarchal local self-governance bodies (like khap panchayats), courts with not a single woman judge (in Goa, for instance), all male bank managers, non-equitable situations for women where they had to fight for their share of the pie despite being all in a disadvantaged situation. The list could go on and on.

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Popular Essays

When Empowerment is Child’s Play

By DALE LUIS MENEZES

In January this year, many Goans watched a video on social media and Whatsapp of a Swedish acapella group, Vocal Colors, rendering a beloved Goan song Tambdde Rosa. The Swedish acapella group were Goa to collaborate with Child’s Play India Foundation led by Dr. Luis Francisco Dias. The Foundation was set up about 10 years ago with the aim of training underprivileged kids in classical music and continues to do so today. The story of the Foundation’s inception and work provides important lessons for a deeply unequal society as that of India.

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Popular Essays

Zero Caste-based Discrimination in Law, Please!

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

Today is Zero Discrimination Day. While we would all agree that every day should be Zero Discrimination Day, such commemoration allows us  to foreground the existing discrimination so that it ends. The focus, this year is on the urgent need to take action against discriminatory laws. Discrimination can be actively perpetrated by individuals and the State in the way they conduct themselves with those who are marginalized, and it can also be actively perpetuated by not doing what the State is duty bound to do.

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Popular Essays

विष्णू वाघांच्या जाण्याचे काही संदर्भ

‘विष्णू मामा गेला’ हे फोनवर टाईप करताना क्षणातच अनंत युगांचं पोरकेपण नशिबी आल्याची जाणीव झाली. ह्या वाक्यात महत्वाचं आहे ते ‘गेला’ हे क्रियापद. त्याच्यामाझ्या सहवासातले ठळक टप्पे आठवण्याचा प्रयत्न केल्यास तो सतत कुठेतरी ‘गेलेलाच’ असल्याची जाणीव झाली. १९९४ मध्ये तो मगो सोडून काँग्रेसमध्ये गेला. तेव्हा मी तीन वर्षांचा होतो. ते त्याचं चुकलेलं पहिलं पाऊल असं मी लहानाचा मोठा होईपर्यंत ऐकत आलो आहे. तो ज्या दिवशी काँग्रेसमध्ये गेला त्या संध्याकाळी आमच्या घरी एक वादळी बैठक झाली. त्यात विष्णू मामाबरोबर वावरणारे, अगदी आदल्या रात्री व त्या दुपारपर्यंत त्याच्याबरोबर असणारे त्याचे सहकारी उपस्थित होते. तो काँग्रेसमध्ये गेलाच कसा ह्या प्रश्नावर माझे आजोबा विश्वनाथ नाईक ह्यांनी सगळ्यांनाच फैलावर घेतले. त्यातल्या बऱ्याच जणांना तो काँग्रेसमध्ये जाणार असल्याचा काहीच सुगावा नव्हता. (more…)

Popular Essays

So what are Goans aspiring for?

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

 

Our lifestyles are already at stake, they are further threatened. The cultural setting, to which the outmigrating Goans hope to return to in their old age, will be erased. Goans will be a museum piece like Native Americans are in the United States, to dance ‘hanv saiba poltodi vetam’ on the tourist boats. Reduced in numbers, robbed of lands, relocated, governed by governing systems that are not in conformity with their way of being. Sometimes through the propping up of sold-out individuals who claim to ‘represent’ the same communities.

 

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Popular Essays

The Case of the Missing Temple

By AMITA KANEKAR

 

This article is about the temple of one of the most widespread and important deities of Goan village society, which is also however almost invisible as well as unknown to many Goans. The deity is Maharingan, and the reason for the invisibilation is because Maharingan is a Mahar deity, and Mahars are a community that would be openly called ‘untouchable’ in the past. Today, although such terminology and behaviour are banned by law, they are still treated as outsiders in not just many Goan villages but also in urban Goa. And their temple is a witness of this unspoken but persisting discrimination.

 

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Popular Essays

Cops and Sentinels

By DALE LUIS MENEZES

 

The ‘Traffic Sentinel’ initiative by the Goa Police has divided public opinion. While both sides, that is, those who support and those who oppose the initiative, have their reasons, most miss the forest for a few trees. Many do not seem to notice the larger issue at stake, which is, public law and order, due process, and the efficient functioning of the state. While there is no doubt that traffic violations need to be curbed, it appears that the authorities have abdicated their role in the maintenance of law and order. And yet, it should also be highlighted that the citizens cannot be expected to fulfill the duty of the state and its agents.

 

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Popular Essays

Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas? (Progress of All with All?)

By ALBERTINA ALMEIDA

 

Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is a poll slogan apparently coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which, according to his website, translates as Collective Efforts Inclusive Growth, and is supposed to be at the core of the functioning of the present Government. However, if one were to assess how Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas is being applied, one would need to look at two factors: one, whether bland unity or bland equality measures, can succeed in contexts that are ridden with power imbalance; and two, to consider if the State’s vision of progress is a progress that is accessible to the marginalized sections of society.

 

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