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OPINION POLL ANNIVERSARY IN GOA.
On 16th of last month at Loia Maidan Margao I attended the meeting and rally
organized to mark the “Osmitai Dis” (Day of Identity). It was the day of
“Opinion Poll”. Since this year is dedicated to “Shennoi Goembab” who was
the great lover and protagonist of Konkani, the organizers combined Opinion
Poll Day with Shennoi Goembab. Before the start of the meeting people
gathered at Loiya Maidan and organized a rally in the city and converged
again at Loia Maidan for the meeting. The meeting was chaired by Dr. (Mrs.)
Couto and addressed by her, Pundalik Naik, Adv. Udai Bhemro, MLA Mrs.
Victoria Fernandes, MLA Mathaney Saldanha and Minister for Electricity. The
proceedings were compeered by Prashant Naik. After the meeting a small
cultural programme was organized in which Ullas Buyao and his troupe
rendered old songs, which awakened and excited the Goan masses to fight
against the mergerists. Tiatrists C. D’Silva and Luciano Dias rendered two
songs accompanied by musical score provided by Josinho and his associates.
Mrs. Victoria Fernandes in her speech highlighted her contribution and part
that she played during those critical days preceding Opinion Poll. While
concluding her speech she pleaded with writers and journalists to write a
full account of Opinion Poll History for the benefit of posterity. Pundalik
Naik hit hard at those who try to downgrade Konkani and Adv. Bhembro
disclosed in details the events taken place during those memorable days.
Mathanay Saldanha spoke in a reconciliatory tone and asked everyone to
forget the past animosity and work for the development of Goa.
Konkani Language movement and Opinion Poll campaign have created lot of
politicians and political stalwarts but none of them attended this meeting.
Some of the leaders and politicians owe so much to Konkani and Opinion Poll.
If Opinion Poll was not won by Two Leaves meaning anti-mergerists then I
am sure none of the current MLAs and Ministers would be what they are now.
Even that rascal and Goem/Konkani “Chor” Dayananda Bandodkar – the first
Chief Minister of Goa would not be the Chief Minister of Goa. The most he
would be the best obedient slave of Maharastra and may be out of frustration
he like Judas would commit suicide. If Goa had to merge with Maharastra
there would not be a Legislative Assembly at Panaji, no MLAs, no Ministers,
everything would come under the jurisdiction of Maharastra and at the most
Goa would be treated just like one district of Maharastra. Regretably, with
the exception of C. D’Silva and Luciano Dias because they were taking part
in the cultural part, none of the well known tiatirsts attended this meeting
even though the invitation was open for all. It is a pity that many of the
current tiatrists are not known to show patriotic feelings towards the
language thru which they are earning their sustenance. Gone were the days
when our yesteryears tiatrists made “pooja” of Konkani Mae-bhas.
Mrs. Victoria gained lot of prominence because of her involvement in Opinion
Poll campaign and rightly she attended the meeting no doubt occupying the
chair at the dais but others could have attended even as observers if not
invited by the organizers to seat at the dais. Mathanay Saldanha during the
time of Opinion Poll was a small boy and his contribution I don’t think of
any consequences but what I noticed in him now was that he is not a
firebrand as he was earlier. He looks proud as if he is come from “Sorgar”.
I hope he realizes his MLAship is only a temporary phase. If he does not
change his attitude then he will create a way for Mauwin Godinho again to
loot Goa and destroy Sankvalle with the help of Birlas. I know him
personally well, we both interacted during the language agitation, he was at
that time along with Christopher Fonseca staying at Jesuit House Panjim and
we used to meet and discuss there so many topics concerning Goa and Konkani.
He was at that time very humble and amicable but these characteristics are
not visible in him now. According to information he not even supporting
anti-Birla agitation campaigning against Birla lording over Sankvalle. Very
shortly Oil Tanks from Vasco would be shifted to Sankvalle thereby putting
the lives of Sankvallkars into danger.
It was very pathetic that during the meeting nobody remembered the great and
magnificent work the late Dr. Jack Sequeira did for and during the Opinion
Poll. In fact instead of Shennoi Goembab it should have been Dr. Jack
Sequeira. I don’t know why on Opinion Poll Day Shennoi Goembab was made a
hero. This does not mean that I want to suppress the excellent work Shennoi
Goembab did in the service of Konkani but neither I agree to suppress the
memory of Dr. Jack Sequeira who worked so hard tirelessly. It was he who was
instrumental in getting Opinion Poll. I have observed one thing that very
many of our own Konknni protagonists are very much discriminating against
us. We the Konknni Romivadis are suffering persecution partly from many
Nagrivadis and fully from illegitimate Goan Marathivadis. I feel there is a
conspiracy hatched by some Nagrivadi Goans to sidestep the good work done by
Romivadis. The fruit of Konkani language agitation in which 6 Romi Konknni
sons of Goa suffered martyrdom is fabulously enjoyed by Nagrivadis.
Romivadis are made just like tools and on top of it they are humiliated. The
way I mixed up with Konkani Nagrivadis very few Romivadis mixed up and thru
my personal interaction with many of them I realized that our worst enemies
are our own so called brothers from Nagri Konknni who kept full control of
Konkani in their own hands. This may be one of the reasons why Dr. Jack
Sequeira’s memory sidestepped or is it an anti-Christian campaign by few
ugly communal faces in Nagri circle? The work Dr. Jack Sequeira did for
the protection of Goa as separate entity none of the persons seating that
day at the dais did. I hail the contribution of Dr. Jack Sequeira for the
victory of Opinion Poll.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
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