On Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:39:02 -0700, Vivian A. DSouza wrote: <<< I agree with Soter about Goans selling their ancestral properties. When one does that, one is cutting his ties to his ancestral land, and makes it easier for "Bhaille" mostly rootless Delhi-wallahs to take up residence in Goa. Unless one is desperate for a "few pieces of silver", it would be better to retain title to those properties for posterity. Who knows if one's progeny may have an interest in their ancestral land ? I have seen Goans selling out their ancestral property to builders who build multi-story apartment buildings in its place. Sometimes the deal includes getting a poky prison-like apartment in the new
building. I know at least one Goan who bemoans his decision. Too late.>>> COMMENT : I beg to differ with these views. A Judgement of the Bombay High Court (Goa Bench) started thus; Quote: “1. Generosity, kindness of heart and charity not always sow the seeds of goodwill and gratitude and not so seldom as desired but more often than expected, brook ingratitude and bring up the base sentiments in a human being. These thoughts come to mind as here is an eloquent and unfortunate example of it, a case where a fine humanitarian Act, dictated perhaps by those noble teachings to give shelter to those who have no roof under which to live or to give food to those who are hungry, is answered by utmost ingratitude. The petitioners indeed having given shelter to respondent No. 1 and his family in their hour of need, find now themselves in a strange situation of being deprived, due to the acts of the latter, of their ancestral house. The old story of the camel and the kind hearted Arab, who is driven out of his tent, is thus repeated. The petitioners, therefore, approched this Court with this writ petition seeking redress to their grievance.” Unquote. http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/614857/ There are innumerable numbers of land owners who have and still are facing this same situation. Their forefathers sacrificed and saved money to buy land for posterity. But then, there were others who enjoyed their lives drinking and gambling away their earnings without thinking of their future generation. All sacrifices the forefathers of these landowners are now being enjoyed by the generations of these irresponsible and unconsciencious people, due to vote bank Laws enacted, like the Mundkar Act and Land Tenancy Act. What we see now in Goa is that ‘muscle & money power’ and ‘political clout’ usurp land from the rightful owners. What does one expect from landowners facing this situation? What would you do if your forefathers sacrificed and kept something for posterity and the same is being usurped by faulty Laws? Would you not sell the same to some outsiders so that they teach these uneducated, unconscientious, corrupt, and arrogant breed to learn what is civilisation? Our ire here is mis-directed. If the Laws of the land were just, all would fall in place. The need of the hour is to have JUST people who enact JUST Laws, and not blame people who face injustice. We are not deplete of such people. There are many who have conscientiously given up hold of other’s land, and have bought their own, being grateful for the interim help provided. But a majority, although their children are abroad earning, own two or three cars, own flats & bungalows; still stick to landowner’s properties. Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão.