Well composed and a befitting responce, Selma. Nascy. --- On Mon, 29/11/10, Carvalho <elisabeth_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> "This constant harping against the Portuguese", seems to be > > post-liberation sentiment of Goans(for this "harping" was > possible only after the liberation of Goa!)against the > Chauvinistic, hopelessly open hankerings of a minority for > > the erstwhile & undemocratic foreign rule. > The reason why it still hankers after the evil Portuguese > rule > is obvious. > > In democratic India it is not possible for the Feudal elite > > to satisfy their Feudal tendencies. > --------------------------- > RESPONSE: > Dear Charu, > In that case, it is not a "harping against", it is a > hankering for. > > I don't think your assessment that it is just a few "elite > families" in Goa that > are sympathetic to the Portuguese is correct. These few > mythological "elite" > families in Goa have been blamed for everything from > pro-Portuguese, > anti-nationalist sentiments, to subjugating the masses, > usurping their land, > possibly being responsible somehow for World War II and > currently responsible > for global warming with their indiscriminate, middle-class > (now reduced) lives. > > > I largely maintain that the changes taking place at the top > were permeating to > the bottom and that Goan society was far more homogenised > and egalitarian than > it is given credit for, and definitely far ahead of its > times in this respect > when compared with the rest of the Indian sub-continent. > > Ergo, I also make the assumption that the sympathy for > things Portuguese is much > more wide-spread than just these "few elite families." It > has become politically > incorrect in our times, to credit any foreign society with > having influenced us > positively. Neo-colonialism is a dirty word ofcourse and so > is Orientalism. But > leaving aside isms and schisms, the fact is the > relationship between the > captured and capturer doesn't always remain stagnant in > human societies. > Best, > Selma