“The anti-conversion bill is expected to be one of the major highlights of the session. The government says the legislation is aimed at preventing forced or fraudulent religious conversions. Those supporting the bill see it as a necessary legal safeguard, while critics have questioned its necessity and raised concerns over individual freedom and the possibility of misuse.
There is nothing wrong with giving the bill serious consideration. In fact, a law dealing with religion and personal freedom deserves careful scrutiny. Every clause must be examined and its possible consequences understood before it becomes law.
But Goa must not allow one politically sensitive bill to overshadow everything else.”
The Goa Assembly begins today, but before the first question is asked and the first debate begins, one uncomfortable question needs to be asked: How can three days possibly be enough for everything Goa needs to discuss?
The state has no shortage of issues. In fact, the list is getting longer by the day.
Law and order is one of the biggest concerns. Gang wars, murders, rape, kidnapping, drugs and now the shocking shooting of a casino director have created an uneasy feeling among people. These incidents cannot be treated as isolated events. They raise larger questions about organised crime, the drug trade, the availability of firearms and whether the police machinery is adequately equipped to deal with a changing security situation.
People need answers. They need to know what is going wrong and what the government intends to do about it.
But law and order is only one part of the problem.
The controversial Section 39A issue, land conversions, illegal constructions, hill cutting and continuing environmental damage are equally important. Goa’s land is limited, yet the pressure on it continues to increase. Agricultural land is being converted, natural landscapes are changing, and construction is spreading into areas that were once considered unsuitable for development.
The Assembly is the place where such decisions should be questioned and examined. Not merely through political speeches, but through detailed discussion and accountability.
Then there is unemployment. Every year, thousands of young Goans enter the job market. Many are educated, qualified and ambitious, yet a significant number continue to look outside the state for opportunities. Goa cannot keep talking about development while failing to provide enough meaningful employment for its own youth.
Tourism, infrastructure, roads, public transport, healthcare, education and the cost of living also deserve serious attention. Each of these subjects could consume hours of meaningful debate on its own.
And yet, the elected representatives have three days.
The anti-conversion bill is expected to be one of the major highlights of the session. The government says the legislation is aimed at preventing forced or fraudulent religious conversions. Those supporting the bill see it as a necessary legal safeguard, while critics have questioned its necessity and raised concerns over individual freedom and the possibility of misuse.
There is nothing wrong with giving the bill serious consideration. In fact, a law dealing with religion and personal freedom deserves careful scrutiny. Every clause must be examined and its possible consequences understood before it becomes law.
But Goa must not allow one politically sensitive bill to overshadow everything else.
The real concern is that the Assembly will spend precious hours dealing with legislative business while several pressing public issues receive only limited attention. This is not about opposing the bill. It is about asking whether the government has provided enough time for the legislature to do its actual job.
An Assembly session is not simply a mechanism for passing bills.
It is where ministers are questioned. It is where government decisions are challenged. It is where Opposition members raise the concerns of their constituencies. It is where uncomfortable questions are supposed to be asked and answered.
A three day session inevitably puts a limit on all of this.
And the timing makes the decision even more difficult to understand. Goa is entering an election year. This should be the period when the government faces the greatest scrutiny. The Opposition should have enough time to question its record and the government should have enough time to explain what it has achieved.
Instead, Goa gets three days.
There is a danger that the Assembly becomes a race against the clock, with legislators rushing through questions, debates and bills simply because there is not enough sitting time.
That is not meaningful legislative scrutiny.
Goa’s problems will not disappear when the Assembly adjourns after three days. The gang wars will still need to be tackled. Land conversions will continue to raise concerns. Environmental damage will remain. Young people will still look for jobs. Questions over development and governance will continue.
The Assembly, therefore, should not be treated as a calendar obligation that has to be completed in the shortest possible time.
Goa needs a legislature that sits longer, debates more and scrutinises harder.
Three days may be enough to conduct business.
It is certainly not enough to discuss Goa.
