Hello I read Wagh’s poetry when he was alive and loved it greatly. It was sad to note he was put down by the so-called upper castes who advance their own literary standards to put down the so-called lower castes. Such discrimination occurs all over the world, much to be regretted. What a shame,
Ben On Sep 9, 2026 at 10:03 AM -0400, Jeanne Hromnik <[email protected]>, wrote: > This quoted para is not a literary appraisal but a descrption of purpose. One > might aim at enlightenment and awakening and choose to use defiant and > unsanitised language, but fail to achieve that purpose in a literary sense. > I wanted to know whether or not Wagh is a good writer and why and how he > succeeds in achieving his intent. > Xx > > > On Wed, 09 Sep 2026, 13:15 [email protected], > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > You write, "This brother would have done better to offer a sound literary > > > appraisal of Wagh's writing beyond the excellent points that he makes in > > > Wagh's defence." > > > I think the following passage from Ramrao's letter perhaps answers your > > > objection: > > > Furthermore, your rigid and restrictive definition of literature—as only > > > that which can be comfortably read aloud in a family drawing-room—reveals > > > a fundamental refusal to understand the rich, revolutionary tradition of > > > Vidrohi Sahitya (Rebellious Literature). Vishnu's poetry in Sudhir Sukta > > > stands proudly in the historical lineage of Sant Tukaram, Mahatma > > > Jyotirao Phule, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. His writing was never meant to be > > > comfortable, polite, or conform to the courtly tastes of darbari > > > politics. It was a raw, defiant, and necessary cry against the > > > deep-seated caste inequalities, oppression, and systemic injustice meted > > > out to the downtrodden and lower-caste communities of Goa. The harsh > > > realities of discrimination and social humiliation are inherently > > > uncomfortable and impolite; sanitizing the language of the oppressed to > > > spare the sensibilities of the privileged defeats the very purpose of > > > social enlightenment and public awakening that you yourself claimed > > > literature should serve. > > > Sounds like a fair enough literary appraisal to me. Surely there are more > > > interpretations possible of a piece of writing than just one? Reminds me > > > of my sister bluntly reviewing a book of mine: "Did you really have to > > > use so many bad words?" > > > I had been hoping she would gush and say, "I hope more people see how > > > brilliant it is!" Well. > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Friday, 4 September 2026 at 18:53:49 UTC+5:30 Jeanne Hromnik wrote: > > > > > Surely, even an Hon'ble Minister has the right to open expression, > > > > > however disagreeable. And a brother is free to disagree. > > > > > Why is everything so personalised in Goan life? I happen to admire > > > > > Wagh, and disagree with the Hon'ble Minister. It's the work that > > > > > stands, regardless of whether the writer is or is not around to > > > > > defend him/herself. > > > > > This brother would have done better to offer a sound literary > > > > > appraisal of Wagh's writing beyond the excellent points that he makes > > > > > in Wagh's defence. > > > > > Xx > > > > > JH > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Fri, 04 Sep 2026, 01:27 Frederick Noronha, > > > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > FROM: > > > > > > > Ramrao Surya Wagh > > > > > > > HNo 5573, Vodle Bhat, > > > > > > > Dongri Mandur Goa 403104 GOA > > > > > > > [email protected] > > > > > > > 94238829664 > > > > > > > Date: August 29, 2026 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > TO: > > > > > > > SHRI. RAJENDRA VISHWANATH ARLEKAR > > > > > > > Hon’ble Governor of Kerala, Lok Bhavan Kerala, > > > > > > > Kerala Governor’s Camp P.O., > > > > > > > Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, > > > > > > > Pin Code: 695 099. > > > > > > > Email: [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > SUBJECT: FORMAL REPRESENTATION EXPRESSING DEEP ANGUISH AND > > > > > > > REQUESTING RETRACTION OF UNWARRANTED PUBLIC REMARKS MALIGNING THE > > > > > > > MEMORY OF LATE SHRI. VISHNU SURYA WAGH > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Respected and Honorable Shri. Arlekar Ji, > > > > > > > I am writing to you with a heavy heart, filled with deep anguish > > > > > > > and disappointment, regarding the public remarks you recently > > > > > > > made(on 28th August, 2026) during a book publication ceremony at > > > > > > > the Institute Menezes Braganza (IMB) in Panaji, Goa. Your > > > > > > > statements, although delivered without explicitly uttering his > > > > > > > name, clearly and unmistakably targeted my late brother, Shri. > > > > > > > Vishnu Surya Wagh, and his celebrated collection of Konkani > > > > > > > poems, Sudir Sukta. > > > > > > > In your address, you referenced your tenure as the Speaker of the > > > > > > > Goa Legislative Assembly and spoke of an author who was also an > > > > > > > active Member of the Legislative Assembly—describing him as a > > > > > > > highly talented, versatile literary friend. You went on to > > > > > > > critique his work, alleging that it contained "unwanted language" > > > > > > > that caused "deep pain". You claimed that you had personally > > > > > > > confronted him, asking if he could read his poetry aloud in front > > > > > > > of his family, and asserted that he had no answer to your query. > > > > > > > From this, you put forward the sweeping opinion that literature > > > > > > > which cannot be loudly recited in front of a family is unworthy > > > > > > > of being read, utilized, or honored by society. > > > > > > > As the brother of the late Shri. Vishnu Surya Wagh, I find it > > > > > > > both highly objectionable and profoundly unfair that you have > > > > > > > chosen to bring up these private, politically charged anecdotes > > > > > > > on a public platform years after his passing. Casting aspersions > > > > > > > on a writer who is no longer among us to defend himself or offer > > > > > > > his perspective is a grave disservice to his memory and to the > > > > > > > thousands of readers who continue to love and respect his work. > > > > > > > Allow me to place the timeline of this controversy in its correct > > > > > > > light. The collection Sudhir Sukta was released at the hands of > > > > > > > the then Chief Minister, late Shri. Manohar Parrikar in the year > > > > > > > 2013. For nearly three years following its publication, the book > > > > > > > was read and appreciated without issue. It was only when an > > > > > > > official literary award was announced for the book by the Goa > > > > > > > Konkani Academy in 2017 when a jury member of the Goa Konkani > > > > > > > Akademi prematurely leaks to the press and social media that > > > > > > > Sudhir Sukta has been selected for the academy's literary award > > > > > > > in the poetry category that a certain conservative section of > > > > > > > writers and critics raised objections, weaponizing accusations of > > > > > > > "vulgarity." At that exact juncture, when the public controversy > > > > > > > erupted, Vishnu was under critical medical care, in a prolonged > > > > > > > coma following a massive cardiac arrest, with absolutely no > > > > > > > ability to comprehend, let alone comment on, the allegations > > > > > > > against his poetry. To publicly assert today that he "did not > > > > > > > answer" your question is a misleading representation of > > > > > > > history—he was physically and medically incapacitated from > > > > > > > defending his own creation. > > > > > > > Furthermore, your rigid and restrictive definition of > > > > > > > literature—as only that which can be comfortably read aloud in a > > > > > > > family drawing-room—reveals a fundamental refusal to understand > > > > > > > the rich, revolutionary tradition of Vidrohi Sahitya (Rebellious > > > > > > > Literature). Vishnu's poetry in Sudhir Sukta stands proudly in > > > > > > > the historical lineage of Sant Tukaram, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule, > > > > > > > and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. His writing was never meant to be > > > > > > > comfortable, polite, or conform to the courtly tastes of darbari > > > > > > > politics. It was a raw, defiant, and necessary cry against the > > > > > > > deep-seated caste inequalities, oppression, and systemic > > > > > > > injustice meted out to the downtrodden and lower-caste > > > > > > > communities of Goa. The harsh realities of discrimination and > > > > > > > social humiliation are inherently uncomfortable and impolite; > > > > > > > sanitizing the language of the oppressed to spare the > > > > > > > sensibilities of the privileged defeats the very purpose of > > > > > > > social enlightenment and public awakening that you yourself > > > > > > > claimed literature should serve. > > > > > > > It is a matter of profound hypocrisy that during your long career > > > > > > > in Goan politics, you remained consistently silent on the ethical > > > > > > > and financial corruption of your fellow MLAs and ministers, yet > > > > > > > you have chosen to use your current esteemed office to police the > > > > > > > creative expressions of a deceased colleague who dedicated his > > > > > > > life and literary genius to highlighting the plight of the > > > > > > > marginalized. The present generation, including the very youth > > > > > > > that conservative critics dismiss as lacking in values, respects > > > > > > > and remembers Vishnu Surya Wagh because he spoke their language > > > > > > > of truth and empowerment, and was genuinely committed to social > > > > > > > reform, unlike those who are merely interested in protecting > > > > > > > established hierarchies. > > > > > > > As a highly placed constitutional authority serving as the > > > > > > > Hon’ble Governor of Kerala and Tamilnadu which both are > > > > > > > progressive states and known for literary and artistic freedom, > > > > > > > we expect yourself to be duty-bound to uphold the constitutional > > > > > > > values of free expression and pluralism. Maligning the image of a > > > > > > > deceased, loved Goan icon to promote a sanitized, exclusionary > > > > > > > ideology is beneath the dignity of your post. On behalf of late > > > > > > > Vishnu Surya Wagh's family, friends, and admirers, I expect and > > > > > > > demand that you act with the dignity expected of your office and > > > > > > > formally retract the unwarranted, insulting opinions you > > > > > > > expressed about him and his writing. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yours sincerely, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Ramrao Surya Wagh > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ > > > > > > > _/ Frederick Noronha फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या * فريدريك نورونيا > > > > > > > _/ AUDIO https://archive.org/details/@fredericknoronha > > > > > > > _/ http://goa1556.in +91-9822122436 784 Saligao Goa > > > > > > > _/ Goanet :: 30 years of discussions. [email protected] > > > > > > > _/ http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/ > > > > > > > _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > > *** Please be polite and on-topic in your posts. *** > > > > > > > --- > > > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the > > > > > > > Google Groups "The Goa Book Club" group. > > > > > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, > > > > > > > send an email to [email protected]. > > > > > > > To view this discussion, visit > > > > > > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-book-club/CA%2Bmqab8tNGSkxGWg_ys2SU9vibS3WxJ-iHvQztD3rCFum4_3cg%40mail.gmail.com. > > > -- > > > *** Please be polite and on-topic in your posts. *** > > > --- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > > "The Goa Book Club" group. > > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > > email to [email protected]. > > > To view this discussion, visit > > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-book-club/0f3b0f4c-ad06-46a6-9fa9-5f02d347db5cn%40googlegroups.com. > -- > *** Please be polite and on-topic in your posts. *** > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "The Goa Book Club" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-book-club/CA%2Bcjhjg-CVtD%3D6kwNLnG-auxpJxvxWmuoQnPhqcHh_AGp2MEdg%40mail.gmail.com. -- *** Please be polite and on-topic in your posts. *** --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Goa Book Club" group. 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