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Goan participation
in Politics
Ben Antao
In Goa the democratic process is not equal because of the caste system.
As long as the people are treated differently because of their perceived
caste, the benefits of democracy will not accrue to all of the people
equally. The same thing applies to the rest of India--150 million Dalits
are not enjoying the fruits of democracy after fifty years of
independence.
And now the ruling political parties want Hindutva to be the prevailing
ideology. In other words, the caste system is not likely to be
eradicated from the consciousness of the Indian masses. Do Goans in Goa
and the Indians in India want a society based on racism, such as the
caste system?
We Catholic Goans also have a lot to answer for in maintaining the
status quo re the caste system.
However, those of us in the West are trying to integrate into the
mainstream of the larger society and in a generation or so, we shall
shed the stigma of caste. I wish I could say the same thing about Goans
in Goa--many of whom have the best intentions but the present reality of
India gives little hope for the type of human equality that exists in
North America.
The systemic racism in India and Goa has got to change, as it is
changing in Canada. By that I mean, the legislators must both enact laws
to outlaw discrimination as well as enforce the laws. In India, and Goa
for that matter, the laws are there on the books, but they are not
enforced. So what what's the point of having legislation without the
enforcement? India has a great constitution, but it is not enforced.
Take the recent case of the burning alive of Dr. Graham Staines and his
two sons in Manoharpur, Orissa. Nearly 60 people were apprehended in
that insensate murder, but nobody has been punished yet. After
preliminary investigations, about 18 are now under arrest awaiting
justice. But the gang of Dara Singh, the leader of the group, that
perpetrated the crime is still free after a year. This is what I mean by
enforcing laws in India.
The Prime Minister condemned the crime, and so did the home minister,
and others. And still, the human rights of the untouchables and other
minorities are abused every day and nobody appears to care. The wife of
Dr. Staines, Gladys has forgiven the murderers and continues to care for
the lepers in Manoharpur.
The constitution of India grants its citizens a fundamental right to
propagate one's faith. It does not confer a right to convert. However,
the constitution also gives a citizen a right to be converted. One is
free to change one's religion or to abandon religion forever. The
citizen is not obliged to explain to any court, or to any self-appointed
guardian why he has changed his religion. He has to explain that only to
his conscience. So there, think about this. Sensible Indians, including
Goans, know the system and are dismayed by it. The politics in India is
rigged against the majority--the poor, the disadvantaged, the
illiterates, women and minorities.
Now for the second part of the problem:
Goans instinctively shy away from politics because of the corruption
implicit in its name. In Canada, for example, Christian Goans are not
involved in the political arena because it is not in their nature, as
yet, to get involved in corrupt practices. This may change in the
future. Canadian Goans are by and large law-abiding, as they had been in
Goa in the past. They are peaceful and want to integrate into the
mainstream.
Ben Antao
May 26,
2000 |
