|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
By Category |
 |
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
India On Media |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Others
News |
|
| Goa: A paradise lost? |
| Goa's beaches have always had a bohemian even a dubious reputation as a haven for sex, cheap drugs and beachside raves
|
| INDIA
, 15-November-2008
6:40:6 AM |
| Goa's beaches have always had a bohemian even a dubious reputation as a haven for sex, cheap drugs and beachside raves, drawing both charter tourists and adventurous Indians. But it's the collision of a relatively innocent world with a new aggressive Goa of money power and high stakes which has made for a dangerous cocktail.
This is a malaise best embodied by the scandal over Scarlett Keeling's murder and months later the rape of a teenage German girl.
In both cases there was the alleged involvement of Goa's powerful politicians and their playboy sons. And of influence being used to intimidate the victims and bury the truth. Writer and journalist Sudeep Chakraborthi tried to capture this new Goa in his novel.
"The sense of self worth that politicians have here, they bring to the table is quite grotesque. And to my mind it resembles a grand circus. The characters are colourful they are they are venal, proven thugs, have cases against them, promise one thing do something else. And they all seem to be quite quite wealthy, and quite enormously so and quite suddenly so," he says.
The sudden wealth comes from land or more bluntly land grab, mainly along Goa's beaches. The era of the builder - politician has transformed Goa's political economy for the worse.
Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks says: "I am very amazed and angered that there is this very small community of goons sponsored by politicians who are giving Goa a bad name on one level."
In an assembly with just 40 MLAs, each one is worth his weight in gold, especially in these times of coalition politics. And Goa already has a notorious history of unstable governments brought down by a handful of legislators. So when its the people's interests pitted against vested interests, it's no surprise who usually wins
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ADVERTISEMENTS
Free offer!!! Become an administrator for your zip home page, "Post" local news (local to your postcode)& pictures, "Post" advertisement banners from local companies. Make Extra money.
|
 |
 |
|
|
| |
|
