A CIVILIZED SOCIETY DOES NOT REOPEN WOUNDS. Sujay Gupta- Editor Gomantak Times. 25 December 2004
Dear Readers, When trouble is created by a misguided mind, there is still hope. But when mischief is created by a devious mind, there is inevitable hell. The act of forcing a communally charged, gory VCD supposedly on Goa's freedom struggle, down the throats of children, seeks to divide, destroy and decimate young minds. This isn't an educational exercise. This is a stab into the ribs of secular polity of Goa. The fact that this exercise was "inspired" (as mentioned in the credits of the film) by the Chief Minister, who is also the Education Minister and orchestrated by the Education department, is scary. Scary: because people in power are expected to be responsible. Though there have been instances when such pretences of responsibility have been done away with, the present ploy of poisoning minds and hearts breaks all limits of civility and common sense. Please note that the issue here is not whether every frame, word or shot in the film confirms to history. That is debatable though there is considered and overwhelming opinion that history has not only been tampered but also butchered. But that is not the point. Why has brutality been fleshed out, spiced up marinated and thrown into the faces of children? Are scenes of Nazi brutality shown to young Jews? Are the barbaric tortures of the apartheid regime in the Natal province shown to kids in the schools of South Africa? Are the post partition riots filmed and served as a staple diet to young children for customary viewing in schools in India? They are not. If this government still needs to know why they are not, here is the answer. These events are not shown because a civilized world does not open wounds. Because time is a healer and no civil human leadership traverses back in time to spread hurt and anguish. Just imagine what this film does to a young mind. A child, without even grasping the full facts of history sees priests in black hoods, looking like monsters murdering and raping. He sees dead bodies, he sees blood, and he sees women getting their clothes ripped off. Forget history. This is fear being drilled. If children in Goa become mental wrecks, this government will be solely responsible. We waited till we actually said this. But scores of calls, mails and messages proved that Goan parents cutting across religious lines are scared and worried. One of them, incidentally a Hindu said. "When I was growing up, I didn't even realize whether my friends in class were Hindus and Christians. Now my daughter who is old enough to read papers asks if Christians are bad. Is this a legacy you would like to leave behind Mr. Chief Minister? When instead of love and trust, hatred blooms, when friendship gives way to fear. Any government must learn to respect public opinion. This is not the case of one section of the society or media being critical or reactionary. School principals, common folks, historians, poets and most importantly parents have been hurt by this cultural violence. From the Governor to the gas station attendant, all have been shocked both at the film and the manner in which it was forced to be shown. If forcible conversion needs to be condemned, then this forcible indoctrination of young minds needs to be despised, challenged and attacked in no uncertain terms. If a film on the freedom struggle had to be made and shown, why was it stealthily and slyly sneaked into schools without giving Males, ministers and a broad based political spectrum to view it? We know that the counter argument to this will be that it was shown on Doordarshan a year ago. But how many people saw it? And shouldn't the government have had the sensitivity to realize that a film fit for Doordarshan need not be fit for young children who are almost raw? Moreover, the length of the film has changed, perhaps some of the contents. Why, even people in the script committee of the original film were shown the VCD version and were calling up our offices to ask for a copy of the CD. What a shame. But these incidents may be shocking, but not surprising. There is very little opposition to these incidents. When the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Pratap Singh Rane remains mum as always and the Tourism Minister who prides himself for calling a spade a spade remains suspiciously silent, where is the hope? We are singling out Matany Saldanha since he is known to be firebrand and we know he is hurt. If he has the guts, ask him to either condemn this act or come out openly saying that the film is justified and necessary. It is high time Goa is freed from fence sitters like Rane and Matany Saldanha tostart with. Of course, the larger issue of how to respond to cultural atrocities should be dealt with by the people of Goa because politicians have failed. The Congress and the clergy have reacted strongly but that isn't enough. Let the people of Goa be the judge as always and respond. Write to us, as you have in the past. Let the People's Court, which all of you are honourable members of, decide if what we stand for is right. Or should history be shown at the risk of history repeating itself with more violence and hatred. Let every Goan speak his mind even if every politician is too gutless to speak his. We will carry each and every view without fear or favor. Try and suggest solutions and chalk out a roadmap for the future. Write to us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or fax or post letters as you normally do. In spite of all this, GT wishes all of you a very merry Christmas. Let the season join hearts and fight the forces that try to break them. COMMENTS: The President of India, Dr. Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister of India, Mr. Manmohan Singh, the leader of the Congress Party, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, along with the leaders of all other Secular Parties of India must please take note of these happenings in Goa, in the thick of the prevailing, stamped and delivered Secular Democratic Constitution of India and not remain indifferent to the actual realities before it becomes too late. The Governor of Goa, Mr. S.C. Jamir, who, has secular credentials must view this incidence as the most atrocious violations of the Secular Constitution and the most maliciously atrocious attempt to get Goa in the foot-steps of Gujarat. For God's sake, the RSS-BJP government of Mr. Manohar Parrikar is in the process to strike at the very umbilical cord of this peaceful state by distorting the minds of its younger generation, a crime which cannot be allowed to be condoned. The solution lies in dismissing this very competent, very much guided with malicious hatred, government of Mr. Manohar Parrikar, who has personally been and is the singular person responsible for the starting of the fires of communal hatred between its heretofore peacefully co-existing various religious communities of Goa. I have grown up during the erstwhile Portuguese rule to the extent that I was mature enough to understand, at the age of 14, when Goa was liberated. There was absolute law and order prevailing during the Portuguese rule, and what is more important, there were no communal ill feelings among the Christians and the Hindus, Muslims being a very small community then too. The part that I come from, (a section of north Goa), the majority is still enjoyed by the Christians. And if at all anyone benefited more through the excellent communal relations, it was the Hindus, who have been helped by the Christians to the extent of even giving them shelters when some of the newly arrived from other parts of Goa needed them. And I will go on record to say that the repayment that some of them(Christians) have received for their good deeds is to forfeit their houses and properties altogether and even bear the brunt of malicious campaigns. But even then, these instances have been considered only isolated instances and far between and consigned to the weaknesses of non-sincere human beings. I dare not say that all Christians have been model the models of peace. The Liberation of Goa was equally desired by Christians as was desired by the Hindus and Muslims and all have helped. Mr. Manohar Parrikar is a non-est as the leader of Goa, basically because he is mentally a vile, revengeful and unforgiving RSS zombie. It has been brought to my attention that a national newspaper (Indian Express) had brought out a story of the burning of a mosque in Maharashtra (Bombay) many years ago and the name of a young boy student of Goa by the name of Manohar Parrikar had figured in that report to the extent that he was questioned by the Bombay police. To date we are trying to trace the whereabouts of the then reporter of the paper who is known to still possess the cutting of the report. We are very certain in our minds that the person named in that report could be our present chief minister of Goa. It is a fact that Mr. Manohar Parrikar was in Ayodhya and has been reported to have actively participated in the demolition of the Babri Masjid, accompanied by his wife and his young son. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Goa, a mosque has been burnt, an attempt to blow up a church in Vasco has been made, burning of another church and a temple has been attempted, and, recently, before the Poinguinim bye elections, a temple in Sanguem has been desecrated. And there is nothing to show as far as catching of the culprits is concerned in most of these instances. Manohar Parrikar has infiltrated the entire administrative services of the Goa Government by placing his RSS cadres in strategic positions such as is evident in the Education Department, he being the education Minister. Mr. Manohar Parrikar is not a pedagogue, and as such, it is amply clear why he has kept the Education Portfolio with himself, in spite of there being other persons in the ministry who are more suitably qualified and have been in the teaching profession i.e. Matanhy Saldanha for one. Mr. Manohar Parrikar has openly professed his affiliation to the RSS cult by marching in the RSS parade donning the RSS uniform in the capacity of the Chief Minister of Goa which is highly irregular considering the RSS is a vilely communal organization which has no place in a country which professes and works under a secular constitution. Manohar Parrikar has brought under his influence, most of the MLAs, whether now belonging to the BJP or belonging to the Congress and other Parties such as MGP, UGDP and NCP by digging into their personal past through burning of mid-night oils, in the capacity of the Chief Minister, so that they be totally compromised and not able to stand up to his malafide intentions and machinations. Example: Mr. Pratapsing Rane, Dayanand Narvekar, Matanhy Saldanha, Babush Monserrate, Francis D'Souza to name a few. My humble request, as the citizen of this still secular nation and a true blooded Goan, as well as in the capacity of the president of a registered political party of Goa, the "GOA SU-RAJ PARTY", to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and all the concerned Secular leaders in authoritative positions including the Governor of Goa, to outright dismiss the Manohar Parrikar government in Goa and restore President's Rule for as long as it takes to usher in fresh elections. If this is not forth-coming before too long, then Goans in Goa and Goans spread out everywhere in the world will resign to the fact that India is not fit for Secular Democracy, in spite of having a written down Secular Constitution. It is prayed that this jungle rule be stopped for once. for Goa Su-Raj Party. Sd/- Floriano Lobo www.goasu-raj.org
