Hi all,
I agree with what Tom and Carolina, that Dr. Wilie, whateve else he may be,
is not a 'casteist'; I also agree that 'Freedom Fighter' is a matter of
interpretation.
Accordingly I announce myself as a 'Freedom Fighter'. I have never stated
such a claim before. However I will not make any claim for special awards or
pensions or any favours from the Govt. or the Community, unlike the many
fake? freedom fighters who have added their names to the list during Mr.
Parrikars torrid communal reign.
At the time when Morarji Dessai was Ch. Mantri of the earstwhile Bombay
State, a meeting was convened, at the Greens Hotel, at Apollo Bunder,
Bombay. The Forum was titled: "Focus On Goa". The Greens Hotel was where the
new Taj Tower Bldg. now stands. It had beautifl views of the Gateway of
India, and the harbour; this was the time when Bombay was really and truly
beautiful; unlike now, when one has to run far and wide in search of beauty
unencumbered! I was present at this forum and the nationalist in me had me
support and vote for the actions as a whole, taken at its conclusion.
At this meeting were present, besides the Ch Minister, Valerian Cardinal
Gracious, prof. Aloysius Soares, prof. Armand Menezes, prof. Roque Correa
Afonso, Dr. Simon Fernandes who at one time was Mayor of Bombay; among
others whose names I cannot recollect, right now, (and sadly I was surprised
there were no hindus from Goa); and a host of other small people like me.
It was concluded at this forum, that instead of waiting for the Govt. to
send an army, to liberate Goa; the people volunteers should walk into Goa
peacefully; that was called 'Sathyagraha! This was the first ever effort
made publicly to discuss the regime in Goa and bring about freedom. I had
also secretly enrolled to go into Goa and get views etc from the local
people, so as to gauge the public opinion on this; and we had to go thru the
south of Goa, via Majali, in Karwar, on foot, thru no man's land et al;
Within a month or two, came into being the first 'Sathyagrahis' marching in;
and who were the sathyagrahis? they were the unemployed poor people from
Maharastra (not Goa) and the Portuguese had no trouble after giving adequate
warnings, to fire at these people and martyr them; This is the infamous
incident of 'Do Do Marg! Then came in Nehru with his insulting words to a
rep. of the Time Mazagine. and so on it went, until the day Krishna Menon's
army marched in. Peaceful march soon turned into war like action and finally
war!
See, I can also call myself a Freedom Fighter too!
Nasci Caldeira
Melbourne
From: Tom & Carolina <goanet@goanet.org>
Subject: [Goanet]RE: Freedom Fighters.
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 21:30:39 -0400
Freedom Fighters.
The Portuguese government during the 50's and on the 19th. December 1961
was
a dictatorship, and if I am not mistaken the Late Dr. oliveira Salazar was
in power.
At that particular time anyone accused of posting a simple anti-portuguese
poster was considered a criminal and languished in portuguese jails in
Aquada for over 8 to 10 years.
After the liberation of Goa there were many who claimed to be freedom
fighters. Some claimed that they had fought for freedom from other parts
of
India. There were also others who wrote books and letters against the
portuguese from Bombay and if they had the courage to visit Goa, jail was
imminent.
Concluding how to define a freedom fighter is a matter of enterpretation.
Tom de Sousa in Hong Kong
