MAPUSA
With silent but impactful determination, Anjuna residents gathered in quiet protest against the annual tide of large-scale electronic dance music (EDM) festivals and mega-events planned for their village.
Outside the Anjuna comunidade hall, where the gauncars held their annual general meeting to deliberate on applications for events, villagers displayed placards reading: "Dear Santa, Please tell the Anjuna comunidade members that we do not want any mega events being held in our village.”
Other placards echoed similar sentiments: “Festival of Noise?”, “Anjuna says no EDM,” “Yes to peace, no to noise,” and “Stop noise pollution.”
The protest remained subdued, with no loud chants or speeches – just the sight of villagers standing resolutely, delivering their message with quiet dignity. Yet, even in their silence, the villagers’ voices came across loud and clear.
A considerable police presence was stationed nearby, likely summoned by the Anjuna comunidade managing committee to maintain law and order, a sight that troubled Dr Inacio Fernandes, a vocal community member and leader of the protest.
“It’s very disheartening and sad that the Anjuna comunidade had to summon the police because we were holding a silent protest against EDMs,” he expressed, disappointment evident in his voice.
Dr Fernandes urged Goa’s other comunidades to take a protective stance on community well-being, emphasizing that it is their duty to shield their villages from events that bring noise, traffic, and environmental disturbances.
“We want the gauncars to take cognizance of our issues,” he said. “This is our village, and we are duty-bound to protect it. It’s our fundamental right under the Constitution of India to voice our displeasure, especially when events that disrupt our peace have been allowed for over a decade.”
At the meeting, the Anjuna comunidade was set to deliberate on three applications for large events: the TVS Motosol 2024, an Expo & Music Concert and a Bollywood event.
Dr Fernandes and the villagers voiced strong opposition to all of them, questioning their impact on Goa’s cultural identity and community welfare. "We propose to reject such events. They do not promote the cultural identity of our State,” he declared. “We want the Anjuna comunidade and panchayat not to issue permissions to such events that are not helpful to the society.”
A fellow protester shared that, while their numbers at the site may have seemed small, the sentiment against these mega-events was widespread within the village.
Fear of retaliation, she claimed, had prevented many more villagers from joining in person.
“We recently organized a signature campaign where over 500 people signed against these mega-events. But some are afraid to be seen protesting due to potential backlash,” she said.
According to Dr Fernandes, the events leave lasting issues in their wake: piles of garbage, unbearable noise, and worsened traffic congestion. These disruptions go on well beyond the scheduled event dates, impacting residents’ lives for weeks afterward.
“We want to know if the Anjuna comunidade truly supports such events. The power to accept or reject these applications rests with them, and the public protests have been strong and clear,” he said.
As the meeting continued, the silent assembly held their ground, awaiting a response from the gauncars.
The question remains: will Anjuna’s comunidade heed the voices of its villagers, choosing peace over profit?
