Courtesy: TOI Saluting the Real Son of Goa Posted: 20 Apr 2010 09:29 AM PDT The resounding verdict of the Opinion Poll held on 16th Jan 1967 saved Goa and Goans from being gulped by its big neighbor Maharashtra . Though all out attempts were made by the first Chief Minister of Goa late Dayanand Bandodkar and his Maharashtra Gomantak Party ( MGP) ably supported by the politicians from Maharashtra to get Goa assimilated into its northern neighbour . It was under the stewardship of the then charismatic leader Joao Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira or popularly called Dr Jack de Sequeira that Goans from all walks of life defeated the nefarious designs of pro merger forces . So passionate and strong were the anti merger views of this first time MLA from Panjim and later three times MLA from neighboring Santa Cruz that this pro Goa group soon became abode to both commoners and Goan luminaries of that era like V.M. Salgaokar, Ulhar Buyao, Uday Bhembre, Chandrakant Keni etc.. If Goa had become a part of Maharashtra it would have lost its unique identity. It’s rich heritage of art and culture would have got completely deluged in the waters of “Marathi Asmita” . An elegy on Konkani language would have become a reality. Goans would have become minority in their own land . And worse Goa would have become one of the secluded districts of Maharashtra like Sawantwadi or Ratnagiri . The way Goa is being turned into a concrete jungle, construction of high storied buildings, pristine land being sold to the highest bidder i.e. the real estate agents , cutting of hills , hacking of trees , mushrooming of both legal and illegal mining etc etc All these ecologically unsound activities would all have made Dr Sequeira feel sad and despondent. The founder president of United Goan Party (UGP) wanted Goa to be developed as the numero uno eco friendly tourism place of India. A worthy point to ponder is that during the time of Dr Sequeira flora and fauna was given paramount importance . For instance unlike the present concrete state existing in the left hand side stretch from Campal to Miramar, there existed green fields. People connected with the anti merger group nostalgically remember that Dr Sequeira joined politics to save Goa. He was immensely proud of his Goan roots . Dr Sequeira did not look at politics as a avenue to embezzle public money which is the trend with most of the present day State’s politicians. Out of Dr Sequeira’s nine children only his eldest son late Erasmo Jesus de Sequeira entered politics . The two time MP from Marmagoa parliamentary constituency apart from being a top leader of UGP also worked whole heartedly for creating favourable opinion in the 16th January 1967 referendum. Today none of his five surviving children are in the murky world of Goan Politics. Yes, the need of the hour is that Goa needs more and more politicians who have a character like Dr Sequeira who was a businessman by profession and often used to contribute to run the affairs of UGP from his own pocket . Being a God fearing person he would ensure that he did not miss the evening rosary with his family at home. We need to constantly work to fulfill the dreams of Dr Sequeira for a better and safe Goa. All right thinking Goans whether they are Hindus, Catholics or Muslims need to work vigorously to fight the evils engulfing Goa like desecration of the places of worship, environmental degradation caused through mining and mega projects, very long delay in the incorporation of Roman script in the official language Act, garbage strewn all over the state, narrow roads, prostitution dens masquerading as massage parlors, politicization of police, removal of river princess- - a ship half sunk from Candolim beach and so forth. NGOs and groups like GBA who really feel for Goa should come forward and unite to save this lovely state from the clutches of haphazard development which one day would destroy the real essence of Goa . GBA would really do a stupendous service to Goa if it contests the next assembly elections by nominating candidates with right credentials. Dr Sequeira had honesty inborn in him. It is sad that most of us in Goa today have forgotten the breathtaking role played by Dr Sequeira in keeping Goa as a separate unit of the Indian Union. Most of our children hardly know who Dr Sequeira was because not a single chapter is devoted in Goa’s school on the father of the Opinion Poll. To keep the legacy of this greatest of the great Goan leader alive , a permanent chair should also be established at Goa University to study the life and times of Dr Jack de Sequeira. It is a big shame that our State government did not have funds to get his statue erected. Incidentally, the cost of the statue at Donna Paula circle was borne by Dr Sequeira’s family. Why have we forgotten our hero so soon ? Will our State government celebrate the centenary celebrations in the next four years with the same vigor and dynamism for Dr Jack Sequeira the real Goenkar as it is currently doing for Dayanand Bandodkar who was no doubt an efficient administrator but who always had his heart for Marathi and Maharashtra. By Isidore Domnick Mendis _________________________________________________________________ Bollywood This Decade http://entertainment.in.msn.com/bollywoodthisdecade/
