The Monkey... And The Sword

The Predatory State sitting ugly in New Delhi has declared WAR on the peaceful, tax-paying, industrious and enterprising people of South Goa. The act of aggression was an advertisement spanning eight and a half pages of the local edition of the Times of India yesterday, in which were listed out Private Properties that the Total Chacha State wants to "acquire" in South Goa for the widening of the National Highway 17. The minister responsible is Kamal D Nutt, WTO-wrecker and arch protectionist (ugh!). He is a Sanjay Gandhi acolyte in the CONgress, so his idea of the State must be meaning the unprincipled use of force.

NH 17 is veritably the "lifeline of Goa." But it is not a real highway. Real highways do NOT provide access to roadside properties; they merely link point A to point B. NH 17 is an access road to all kinds of properties. In South Goa, the principal towns of Chaudi, Balli and Cuncolim all lie on NH 17, which also serves as the "Main Street" of these towns. Widening this road is pointless. It was built in an age when widespread automobile ownership was not prevalent in India. However, automobile ownership has become near universal in Goa now, which is one of the most prosperous provinces of India. Thus, this province needs a proper highway linking north to south, linking up to Maharashtra and Karnataka, the surrounding states.

Now, there is enough UNOWNED LAND in Goa that can be presented to the Predatory State in New Delhi for building this proper highway. The manner in which Goa has developed is that all the action is along the coast. All the mountainous areas to the east lie vacant and unpopulated. Indeed, New Delhi must be aware of this, because they have been awarding mining leases en masse to cronies who want to dig up the mountains to export red mud containing low grade iron ore.

If this vacant land could be given to New Delhi to build a proper highway, the problem would be solved, the eastern parts of the province would see real "development," and NH 17 could be downgraded to the status of a local highway under the ownership of the provincial government.

Obviously, the Predatory State in New Delhi is blind to such possibilities. In India, it is a monkey that wields the Sword of State. All this monkey knows is unjust use of force. It has provoked widespread armed rebellion in many provinces already by unjustly taking over privately occupied lands. It wants to do the same in South Goa. It is looking to create trouble. It is asking for trouble. If so, it must get it - in spades.

The people of South Goa must needs disrupt their normal lives and engage in "politics" to save their Properties from this monkey's predations. I suggest that they convey a loud and clear message to all their "democratic representatives" as well as the district administration that NO PROPERTY will be peacefully delivered for this useless widening of a "notional highway." They must demand a proper highway and instruct their rulers to use vacant, unowned forest land for the purpose.

Song of the Day: "Shock the Monkey" by Peter Gabriel.