The Goan Review (Radio Goa) interviews Churchill Alemao in the UAE.
GR: There had been reports in the press and on the internet lately that
Mr. Churchill Alemao called Goans 'Pigs' .How would you explain this?
There are some people like Luizinho Faleiro who has been spreading
rumors after my interview with the press. In every part of Goa there
are NGOs today, some are genuine but sometimes it has become a business
with many. You know we Christians rear pigs , we kill pigs that we eat.
Now the Pig does not know weather the owner is coming to catch it or
kill it. The pig will cry anyway. What I quoted was a Konkani saying
“Ami kistao lok, ami durak posta ami kedna durak marta ani dukrachem
masui khatam .Dukor dorunk gelear rodta. tek khobor nam tek posunk dorta
vo marunk dorta to” (weather you are going to catch the pig to rear it
or kill it, it will cry either way) I further added, that’s how there
are some NGO’s who cry. What Churchill has done for Goa , nobody has
done and I can say this proudly today.During the Konkani agitation I
have stayed one and a half months underground. My son was just 5 months
old at the time..7 CRPF personnel with machine guns kept at my residence
for a shoot out order.We have given our life for the Goan people …..how
can I say that?
How can these people ever think like this?
GR: Lately you have been advocating the creation of 'Greater Goa' the
merger of some Konkani speaking areas of Karwar. Dont you think it will
take a toll on our identity?
This is my suggestion and my vision. Late Ravindra Kelekar was a great
man who I respect, a well known Konkani scholar who was a pioneer in the
modern Konkani movement. At the release of his translation of
"Mahabarata" at the hands of Late PM Rajiv Gandhi in New Delhi, he was
asked by then PM late Rajiv Gandhi, if there is anything he can do for
him. And this great man replied that he speaks Konkani and he wanted it
to be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.This
dream was fulfilled in 1992, when Konkani was included in the Eighth
Schedule of the Indian Constitution as an official language.
He told me “Churchill you have done a lot for Goans , you have fought
for Konkani.He said there is a dream of mine that at least the Konkani
speaking areas should come together as one “.So it was just my
suggestion, I dint say do it. It is in the best interest of the
future generations. Not me, my time is finished. We have now about
15lakh people in Goa.Going by today’s statistics ,in another 60 years,
this number will increase to more than 40 lakh people. Land cannot grow
by itself to contain this growth. Today there are more Goans living
abroad than in Goa. A time will come where Goans may have to return to
Goa ,I am not talking about today. Look at Fiji Islands for example , I
have spent my time on the ship and I have been there several times. Once
upon a time the Indians were hired to cut sugarcane there.The indians
are in majority at Fiji Islands and fromed the government. Now the
people of Fiji Islands got educated and demands that Indians must leave
from there.Then there have been reports of job cuts in Europe. The Goans
in the Gulf too will have to come home one day. What will you do? How
will you contain all these people?During the Portuguese time Goa’s
population was 5 lakhs which has become 15 lakhs today.Then there are
other added benefits Goa will get, like Power plant, Airport and
Seabird. We don’t have a power plant of our own, we are dependent on
other states for power.
These Konkani speaking areas have an area of 2600 sqKm with just 2 lakh
population , while Goa is 3700 sqKm. When I was the Chief Minister I had
sanctioned 5 projects which includes Goa-Delhi train,konkan railway,
over bridge in Margoa.One of them the Tilhari project
in 1990.It was to come in 1980 , at that time only 2 parties were
existent ,Congress and MGP. That time I formed the PDF govt with
MGP.Some of the politicians went on to say that Churchill is creating a
problem, and Tilhari project was done to get Maharastra people inside
Goa. My answer was that one day this project will help the Goan people.
What happened today? Today everyone has water. If I had not sanctioned
Tilhari which cost around.350 crore would have cost 30,000 crores
today.Same way Konkan Railway is excepted by everyone today.My vision is
not for today, we have to also look at tomorrow.
GR:There has been accusations that your Govt is turning a blind eye to
the illegal mining activities in the state.What is your take on the
mining industry in Goa?
You know there are 25,000 to 30,000 trucks servicing these mines today.
Then there are people employed in every type job related to these mines.
More than 5 lakh people are employed in the mining industry today. What
will they do? If we stop mining our economy will suffer. Today people
are crying because of dust coming in the city, My governemnt has taken a
decission now to construct bye-pass roads for mining activities in Goa
at the cost of mine owners, thus will solve the problems..If you stop
mining the Government is bound to fall. The people themselves will not
except, cause their livelihood depends on that. To talk is very easy.
To read the full interview visit http://www.goamag.net , UAE's only Goan
publication.
Goanet News
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