In a repeat stance adopted by the Defence authorities (Navy) - vide
letter 858/P/GC dated 20.1.2012 the Commander at Arms Asst Naval Provost
Marshal (KT) acting on behalf of the Flag Officer Commanding
Headquarters FO(K) Naval Base Karwar Karnataka India in reply to the
letter of this writer dated 7.1.2012 informs that "due to the prevailing
security scenario in the coastal region the Coastal Base is at a
heightened security state. No visitors are being permitted during "
Thus
for the 8th time in succession since 2005 the Navy has prohibited on
similar grounds the celebration on 2nd February the customary Feast of
Nossa Senhora de Brotas (Our Lady of Springs ) . Yet another
celebration of the customary Feast of St Francis de Assisi on 4th
October is also prohibited
.
This writer had this year too intimated to them that two
Masses would be celebrated fore/afternoon to reduce the crowds on the
Island and that only those with photo identity cards be permitted to
partake in the feast.
Ironically when people of Goa expressed
their resentment over the Naval authority moves to acquire Bimbvel
beach and St George Islands the issue was raised in the Goa Legislative
Assembly during the winter session in December 2010 by the Deputy
Speaker Mr Mauvin Godinho condemning the defiant attitude of the Navy
to usurp land with utter disregard to the sentiments of the people of
Goa In a similar move both MPs Mr Shantaram L Naik (RS) and Mr
Francisco Sardinha (LS) met the Union Minister Mr A K Antony to brief
him on the moves of the Navy citing the instance of the 37,005 ha
Anjediv Island which was conditionally handed over to the Navy for the
prestigious Sea Bird Project.but the
relegated on the celebration of customary feasts. All to no avail.
This
writer
had also contacted MP Mr Mr B K Hariprasad who intervened in the
matter and through the UPA Chairperson Ms Sonia Gandhi pursued the
matter with the Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony who promised to look
into the matter.without any positive action.
When this writer
met local MLAs of Karwar now in the BJP Mr Ananth Asnotikar and ex-MLA
mr Gangadhar Bhat at their residence in Karwas they had also agreed to
work out modalities to assist in the movement of people from Goa who
were intending to celebrate the Feast if the Sea Bird authorities
permitted the same.
In April 2002 then CM and present Leader of
the Opposition in the Goa Legislative Assembly Mr Manohar Parrikar had
donated Rupees twenty five thousand only for the repairs of the
Church.
However it now appears that Commodore B R Rao then
Station Commander misled the then Union Defence Minister George
Fernandes to believe
that a dozen temples on the Island were shifted to the Mainland post
1987 and hence no festivities should be permitted
.As a matter of fact
only one Somnath temple on the mainland was shifted with the consent of the
local committee as witnessed by this writer.
According
to stories doing the rounds Commodore B R Rao Station Commander Sea
Bird had an axe to grind with the then Chairperson of the Karwar
Municipal Corporation Ms Veena Badkar for not rendering co-operation to
the Sea Bird authorities in civic matter tried to create a wedge between
the local fishermen community from Karwar district who celebrate the
Feast as "Zorichem Saibinn" by prohibiting their entry to the Island in
2004 while this activist had to forcefully take the people of Goa into
the Island to celebrate the Feast unfortunately for the last time.
Mr
Shantaram L Naik MP RS had repeatedly pursued the issue on the Floor of
the Lok Sabha but failed to break ice with the powers that be.
The Archbishop of Goa and Daman seems resigned to the fate as they have not
been able to impress upon
the UPA Chairperson the Union Minister of Defence the need to allow the
celebration of the customary feast.
The
Goa
Government in a letter to this activist on 19.04.2006 confirmed that
the Navy should permit the customary celebration of the Feast as
envisaged in the order dated 1987 allowing the use of the Island by the
Defence authorities.
On 21st October 2004 when the expelled
member of the Bajrang Dal Mr Pramod Mutalik threatened a "Shoba Yatra"
on the Island before Dussehra (the same date there was a Fire at the Bom
Jesus Basilica at Old Goa the then Dy Commissioner Uttar Kanara Mr
Ritesh Kumar Singh sensing trouble prohibited the celebration of any
feast on the Island by an order.
However this order is bad in law
as Anjediv is still a part of Canacona Taluka in Goa and has not been
ceded by an Act of Parliament to the State of Karnataka hence he could
not have exercised his jurisdiction over this Island.
It is also
pertinent to note that after the Goa was liberation on 19th December,
1961 ( 50 years ago ) on the 22nd December,
1961 the Indian soldiers who raced towards the Anjediv Island with a
victory
flag were shot dead by the Portuguese soldiers on the Anjediv Island.
A memorial plaque for the seven martyrs all Indian soldiers is visible
on the only Fort on the Island . This memorial too is declared out of
bounds for not only the civilians but also the Defence forces as no
function is held to commemorate those who fell victim to the bullets.
The
Church at Anjediv was first built in 1500 and Mass celebrated there on
20th August 1500. It was rebuilt in 1682 again in 1729 and repairs
carried out in 1958 1983 and May 2004. The Chapel of St Francis de
Assisi is in partial ruins due to neglect by the Navy and now kept out
of bounds from the Navy as well.
Despite this ban several persons
have expressed their desire to visit the Island even though the Naval
authorities will prevent movement of the faithful to the Island.
A request by this writer to visit the Island on 4th October, 2010 met with
muted response
from the Sea Bird authorities.
Considering that Goa has
celebrates 50 years of Liberation the Union Defence Minister Mr A K
Antony needs to be impressed upon to lift the embargo fortwith.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,
BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfre...@yahoo.co.in
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