Dear Oscar and All Goans,
This is the last time I will respond on this thread unless I see a good
reason to write anything further. Before I go to core issue of this
debate, let me unfold few facts about me as they hold relevance to this
thread/debate. I had been the Congress Party active primary member for
14 years. As Congress worker, voted for Congress Party except 2007. I am
a Catholic, not just by words by hard core practicing till date and
intend to stay that way till the end in spite of all that afflicting the
Catholic Church.
Goa's biggest problems are these very C & C. i.e Congress and Catholic.
Congress Party has done more damage to Goan than any other party and
still doing it. Congress Party and its leaders past and present worked
for themselves and not for Goa. Corruption, Illegal Mining, Mega
project, Drugs you name it and all these vices are prevalent in Goa.
Sonia Gandhi has nerves to make noise and even call a opposition Chief
Minister ‘Traders of Death’. What Drugs and Mining is doing in Goa is
not the same? Why she is silent on these issues affecting Goa and
Goans? Our so-called Catholic MP’s and MLA’s and Ex-MP don’t apprise
her of the ground realities? Oh! she is waiting circa 2012 to come to
Goa to celebrate Golden Goa! What about her election promise to Goa at
Fatorda 2007? Are we still to trust Congress who has betrayed Goa more
than once.
Catholic, is become synonymous in Goan Politics and it ills. The
so-called Catholic voters vote for the same Corrupt Catholic politician.
The parable of The Prodigal Son narrated by Jesus is repeated every
election. Jesus never said the same prodigal son be invited with open
arms repeatedly betrayal after betrayal. This is what we Catholic in Goa
had been doing with corrupt dirty politicians. The highest numbers of
litigation are found in Catholic dominated Salcete Taluka. I blame
squarely the Catholic for the mess in Goa as they have not lived up to
the faith.
Honour and dignity is the birth right of every individual just as
freedom. When one loses honour and dignity there is no meaning to
Freedom. I witness this at many occasions. I paid for my ticket
(Dubai-Goa) and Rs 1000 as delegate fees to attend Global Goan
Convention at Cidade de Goa in in Goa Jan 3-7 2007. What happened there
everyone knows, who was thrown out and by whom and at whose instruction
also everyone knows. But, did anyone dare raise it on that convention?
Was it not the same issue which has engulfed Goa with fire now? I took
a silent walk out of the hall never to return back to any CGC including
Muscat driving distance by car.
I had shunned all hypocritical Goan functions in Dubai for last 15 years
because they fail to address Goa’s core issues. Goan Social events to
my mind are meaningless if they do not connect to ground realities of
Goa. Mere celebration of village feasts, dances, watching tiatrs and
conducting football event are all but a sham. As recently as in June
2010, I was thrown out of Goan Forum for writing against Corrupt Goa
Minister. This event I was invited and thought it was different but
sadly nothing has changed in our perception. Honour and dignity for me
is as important as freedom.
Now, with regard to meeting Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh with
delegation is debatable. Yes, it might work if the approach is Carrot
and Stick. Stick to my mind will hit hard if we succeed to show our
strength on the street with International & Indian media coverage. For
this reason I support Carmen Miranda’s suggestion of Cap & T-shirts.
But, the people who are cause of these ills have to be the part of the
solution.
My suggestion, as we Goans love to sing and dance for every occasion,
let do it that way. Call for a non-political rally represented by all
activists who fight lone tireless battles in small groups under one
banner with the slogan ‘NO TO CORRUPTION & YES TO GOOD GOVERNANCE’ on
19th Dec 2010. This event could be something like dawn to dask or vice
versa with participation from singers, dancers, tiatrs etc all pledging
to say NO TO CORRUPTION. Concurrently run a signature campaign at the
venue and then submit it to Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh with delegation.
Just meeting the representatives at High Command will not command any
good as they are really sitting very high and only 1000K plus visual
effects supported by equal nos of signatures might work. If this does
not work then I am sure 2012 will be history for Congress.
I mean no offence to any one, just few personal thoughts from a fellow
Goan, a man of small means.
Viva Goa by heart and soul.
Agnelo Pinheiro
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Now available in Toronto, a few copies of *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by
Selma Carvalho. Contact Bosco D'Mello
bo...@goanet.org (416) 803-7264
http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
