By Sanbdeep Heble
25 deaths. 25 lives lost. And some early responses? Blame nightlife and “culture.” It is very unfortunate how a tragedy caused by criminal negligence, fire safety violations, lack of exit points, misuse of fire shows, and deep-rooted corruption is being spun into a cultural battle against nightlife, music, art, and entertainment. Instead of asking why permissions were granted despite safety failures, why inspectors ignored violations, why fire norms were overlooked, and why corruption allowed this disaster to happen, we are being told that the real problem is “bad culture.” The truth is, the problem is not culture – the problem is bad governance.
What happened was not an accident of culture – it was an accident of criminal neglect. Packed venues, temporary wooden and palm-leaf structures, fire shows, and expired licences created a death trap that went unchecked despite repeated warnings from authorities. With narrow access roads, limited exits, and fire brigade vehicles forced to halt 400 metres away, survival became nearly impossible. These are the real issues that demand accountability – not lectures on morality.
And to hear Vishwajeet Rane sermonising about values and culture feels like the classic case of the cat going on a pilgrimage after devouring a thousand mice. What spiritual values does the Health Minister talk about when many of the government departments, including his own health, have become avenues for patronage – where recruitment has been driven not by transparent merit-based systems, but significantly by political loyalty and constituency interest. Where is this cultural purity he speaks of when government jobs are either traded for large amounts of money or become political assets rather than opportunities for qualified Goans? Where is this moral outrage when hills are being recklessly cut, fields flattened, and stretches of lush greenery converted into high-rise structures? Is this the culture Goa must protect? Does spiritual tourism mean death and destruction of the very nature God created? Spare us the lectures, Vishwajeet.
Then there are the Dhavalikar brothers, forever talking about cultural values, projecting themselves as custodians of morality, while politics and permissions run on another track entirely. It is yet another example of double standards wrapped in holy packaging. And herein lies the real hypocrisy of our society, which politicians like Dhavalikar brothers (and many others) are taking advantage of: why is a girl dancing in a club “bad culture,” while Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi are celebrated as superstars and heartthrobs for their song and dance performances? Why are we fine with iconic dance numbers like Ek do tin chaar panch, Chhe saath aath nau (the iconic Tezaab song which became a rage), but when a dancer performs in a different platform to earn an honest living, she is judged, and the culture labelled immoral. So, how is the art form pure on screen but wrong on stage? Do not demean any profession when it is performed honestly and sincerely – they have every right to earn their livelihood with dignity. This hypocrisy is not cultural – it is social prejudice hiding behind the mask of morality.
Meanwhile, Vishwajeet Rane talks of spiritual tourism, as though morality exists only in nightclubs and not within religious institutions. Have there not been scandals in ashrams, church bodies, and other religious spaces across the country? Why does morality only apply to clubs, artists, workers, dancers, DJs, musicians and others from the tourism Industry trying to earn an honest, dignified living? Often one of struggle, remember that not everyone who is there will make it in the big league, but they have their families too, who depend on this livelihood.
To add insult to injury, we now see BJP spokespersons like Savio Rodrigues using this tragedy to further their own political careers, building narratives and scoring points, with zero concern for the thousands of artists and workers whose livelihoods may collapse because of this misplaced blame. One can recall Churchill Alemao doing something similar years back, coming to the limelight when he sought a ban on “The Da Vinci Code”, later on becoming the PWD Minister – a controversial tenure that drew public criticism over contract handling and his later arrest also.
At this stage, spare us the moral leadership. the distractions, cover-ups, and shifting of blame. Instead of destroying tourism, we should be asking where the ease of doing business is. Why is bribery the rule and compliance the exception? Why do we fail to provide even basic infrastructure? Why do we still lack reliable taxi services and a functioning public transport system? Why are investors and genuine entrepreneurs driven away? Why can Thailand, Bali, or Dubai build world-class tourism industries, while we chase away or make it difficult for honest investors?
Goa does not need moral sermons. Goa needs accountability, fire-safety enforcement, honest inspections, transparent governance, and respect for every legal profession. Politicians must stop using tragedy as political ammunition, stop villainising performers, workers, and entrepreneurs, and stop turning moral judgment into governance.
Twenty-five people died. They deserve justice, not moral confusion, not spin, and not hypocrisy. Culture did not kill them. Poor Governance did.
