Go, Goa, Gone: Bhumi Adhikarini Bill may once again stir pot of identity

Bhumi Adhikarini Bill is expected to ignite debates, provoke questions & controversies that simmer beneath the surface in this tiny emerald land: who qualifies as a Goan, and who does not?

The calm of Goa’s mornings is disrupted by the cawing of crows, the chatter of squirrels, and the toot of bicycle horns. Carrying their precious cargo in deep cane baskets carefully wrapped in newspapers and plastic, these cyclists are a crucial element in the daily lives of Goans.

They are vendors of pao, the freshly made, soft pillows of bread that accompany all Goan meals. Making and selling pao is hard work. Families wake up early in the morning to bake it fresh, and the men are dispatched on cycles to sell it. Over the years, as local boys became