SURAJ NANDREKAR
The State as well as the country is under the tight grip of the second wave of COVID19 pandemic but fear of the dreaded virus seems to be last thing on the minds of Goans.
The Goans want to win the fight for their right before they tame the virus, which has literally brought the entire world to its knees. They want their demands met even as the virus is killing hundreds of people. Not just themselves they are risking lives of themselves, their families and so also lakhs of other innocent citizens of the State.
As the COVID19 cases near 1000k cases everyday and Sunday marked 11 deaths, which has been highest one day tally, the citizens are busy in agitations.
Not just to blame the citizens, it is also the government, which has been encouraging the huge gatherings be it elections or at the casinos.
On one hand, the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant says the people should take care of themselves and follow SOPs, social distancing, wear masks, but on the other hand, he himself is seen promoting election rallies in poll-bound five municipal jurisdictions of Mapusa, Mormugao, Margao, Quepem and Sanguem.
Following suit, the taxi operators’ agitation has thus reached the 13th day. Not just the drivers their entire family is put at risk. Thousands of family members and drivers have been agitating in Panaji and elsewhere for scrapping of Goa Miles app-based taxis.
After being denied permission at Azad Maidan Panaji, the taxi operators have now decided to move to Chopdem in North Goa and Lohia Maidan in South Goa.
This shows the helplessness of the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, who does not seem to have failed to resolve any issue.
As if the taxi agitation is not enough, the Xth and XIIth standard students have started protests against cancellation of exams.
Here too the protest looks “politically motivated” but CM again isn’t interested in settling the issue. He says the exams will be held as per schedule.
The issue of postponing the exams is highly debatable as while some feel due to surge in cases, exams be cancelled. But at the same time one opines if the students are ready to agitate amidst huge gathering, what is wrong in answering exams? What is the fear if the classroom has just 11 students?
In yet another agitation, Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte and Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaocar on Monday agitated against the shortage of water in their respective constituencies for last four days. Hundreds of people have participated in this morcha too.
While all this is going on, Maharashtra declares Goa “Sensitive Origin” and makes RT-PCR COVID negative certificate mandatory for travel to that state by trains.
However, neither the CM still does not want to wake up from the deep slumber nor the BJP State unit tries to wake him up.
The cases pile up and so are the dead bodies, it won’t be long before the COVID19 situation in the State goes out of control.
Surely, the CM can take a decision on postponing the exams and similarly, the taxi operators can postpone their agitation for some other days.
It is high time atleast the elected representative too behave sensibly and responsibly as the people for now have up on those at the helm.
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