------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | New on Goanet's website's A&E section - http://www.goanet.org | | Book in Review: A Kind of Absence - Joao da Veiga Coutinho | | POEM: SUSEGAAD - Cynthia Gomes James | | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=216 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Netgaokars,
Today was the day that Goans voted to decide whether Goa should remain separate or merge with Maharashtra. Thank God for the Shashtikars who voted overwhelmingly for a separate identity. If the choice was left to the rest of Goa we would have been a miniscule part of Sindhudurg or a separate district in Maharashtra. The constituency-wise [28 in Goa of 1967]statistics will soon be out in the open once again soon. Today, the MARG of Gurunath Kelekar organised a small photo exhibition in what used to be the Art Gallery of the Instituto Menezes Braganza [ raped by the Goa Dept. of Art and Culture in the recent past]. Dr. Wilfred de Souza , Deputy Chief Minister[ and wannabe Chief Minister] was the Chief Guest. No where else for the MCP from NCP to go. It is a pity. He once belonged to the same party as the Father of the Opinion Poll, Dr.Jack Sequeira's United Goans Party. Sandesh Prabhudesai, editor of Sunaparant, reminded the Dy.CM. that the politicians in Goa today owed their very existence to the Opinion Poll. 40 of them would have otherwise been replaced by one MLA in the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha. Yet, the Government of the day finds no time to celebrate the Opinion Poll day. Perhaps it can make amends by 19 January....the day when the results of the historic Opinion Poll were declared. Goa had voted to remain separate. Once again, thank God for the simple people of Salcete. they ensured a separate identity. they fought for Konkani to be recognised as the state language. If they have been cheated by inserting a definition to define the script by another smart Shashtikar, they can still change that. It is not easy to merge Goa into another state any more. Viva Goa. Long live the Opinion of the Opinion Poll. Miguel
