You have always been against kangaroo courts. So now I am utterly surprised 
that you yourself have decided to set up one against me,
despite knowing me so well and despite knowing that you are my friend and i 
respect you so much

It is ok for other people to say "Margao civil war erupteth" and "this is a war 
between Margao "bamons". But, of all the people, how do you have the gumption 
to set a kangaroo court?

Do you know what is the word i hate the most? It is when people call me 
"bamon". My life is full of examples where in my day-to-day life i have mixed 
and safeguarded the interests of all no matter what their class or creed is.And 
people respect me for that.


I was not a graduated doctor when Valmiki's father died. But even as children 
we know about his manic episodes and a number of witnesses cancorroborate. In 
the end, it was unfortunate that Valmiki's father jumped into the house well 
and committed suicide. Bentu (Bento), the local carpenter, who was also an 
ace-swimmer, was called to jump into the well to extricate him. Sadly, it was 
too late when he brought out the dead body and we were all aghast witnessing 
the scene.

Vinod Mehta recently wrote a book " Lucknow boy". He was honest to the core. 
Arnab Goswami asked him whether he had the honesty to write about his own 
escapades. His answer was in the affirmative. And I did this even taking the 
risk of upsetting my wife. Whereas Valmiki washes the dirty linen in other 
households covering his own under a veil of secrecy.

He fails to highlight the role of my grandfather who was a role model and 
philantropist and co-founder of the Sanatorium. He may not have been very 
intelligent, but his doors were always open to the poor and the needy.But he 
attributes to him some lies. Valmiki takes glee in writing that one of my 
uncles died of TB, then a stigma (no ethics here?). He takes glee in writing 
that one of my uncles was a mental patient (no ethics here?) and was brought 
dead, after years, only in a coffin. He then meekly goes on to justify saying 
he did nothing wrong because mental illness is unfortunate.But his malicious 
comments are not. Dr. Loo Estibeiro, the then director of the mental Hospital, 
always vouched that she never saw an inmate being treated by his family in such 
an exemplary manner. Every week my aunt used to send him goodies and other food 
he enjoyed. He had almost found a home away from home and did not want to 
return. When he suffered from large goiter, I took him myself to the old GMC 
and Dr. Willy operated on him proficiently. When he died I washed his body 
myself, then dressed him up, hired a coffin and brought him home for a decent 
burial.(Valmiki's father was a "prisoner" in his own home!)


Valmiki had two aunts that were "town-gossipers" and hated our family. One of 
them, tia Olinda, according to him, gave him the "so-valuable" inputs for his 
book. Could there be a greater joke?. The other aunt, Bertina always 
"eaves-dropped" at the adjacent house of Paixao Pereiras. The next day, the 
whole town came to know about the "porcarias" going on in the house of Paixao 
Pereiras. One day, as she was indulging in her favourite pastime,the neighbours 
seized of the mischief, flung pepper-powder in her eye after which she became 
forever blind.

Valmiki uses the respected Dr. Eurico Silva to write his preface but no word 
about the dirty linen in his family. He uses Tamsin Cherier as his 
compère but no word about the dirty linen in Tamsin's family. Only showers of 
praise. He makes use of a few to revile others. He soils the good name of 
revered Fenelon Rebelo who lifted "Italab" to the greatest heights through 
sheer dint of hard work. He arms himself against Mr.Damodar (Mohandas) Naik 
(now 82-year-old) to talk about his sexual escapades more than 50 years ago. I 
am told that his nephew has already threatened him with legal proceedings. If 
this  does not amount to innuendo and malice at its worst, what is?

Finally, I talked with historian-friend Fr. Nascimento Soares and he spoke like 
this: How can a historical book be written in three months? Where are his 
sources and bibliography? If historians like Fr. Velingkar are seized with the 
contents they will cut the book into pieces. He lamented that Valmiki's 
purported historical book sadly degenerates from a book of history into a book 
of khobrô. Lastly, I told him that Vivek Menezes had greeted Valmiki's book as 
the best history book ever written in modern times. He had a hearty laugh and 
pointedly said "These are compliments from friends to friends"


Dear Joe since you have posed yourself as a judge and fired questions at me 
-your youth hood friend - I was quite astounded and grudgingly wrote this. My 
wife and daughters already want me to put an end to this ugly debate.

But it is sad. Especially when it comes from Valmiki, someone who is so 
brilliant, so gifted, but has let it transpire that, in spite of all, old 
family grudges and envy remain deep-rooted in his heart.

I hope this is the end of the matter which has left a sour taste in the mouths 
of many families of Largo da Igreja, who already face many problems and, in all 
earnest, do their utmost to help the needy ones, and do whatever they can to 
honor the memory of their ancestors, whatever their faults may have been. 


After all, "let him who has no sin cast the first stone”.


Affectionate regards,


Francisco

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