Will Luizinho be hand of God?
MARGAO: His six-year-long moun tapasya (silent penance) is finally over; and the tapasvi (penance maker) is now raring to don the role of a warrior to fight "for the cause Goa and Goans". Former Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro chose the occasion of his birthday celebrations, organized by the South Goa district Congress committee, at Davorlim, Margao, on Monday, to announce his "availability" for the service of his party in Goa. He stopped short of announcing that he would contest the Lok Sabha polls-his refrain until now has been that he has not yet given a thought to the idea-but the message to the humble party worker was unambiguous: Faleiro's spadework for re-entering the Goan political landscape has begun in right earnest. "There are many issues in Goa that need to be taken up-special status for Goa, airport issue, mining. For the last nearly six years, I had not interfered in Goa affairs... but my love for Goa runs in my veins, in myheart, in every cell of my body. If you like, I won't interfere, but I will come with you in whatever (way you want me to). If you want me to join a movement I am there with you," Faleiro said, while replying to his felicitation at the hands of the leader of opposition, Pratapsingh Rane. Stating that obtaining the special status for Goa was "our birthright", Faleiro said it was not too late to fight for it even now. "If small states are enjoying the special status benefits, why can't Goa? Goa got liberation in 1961. We lost the benefit of the two five-year plans as we joined the national mainstream only in 1961. At that time, we had to spend all our energies to protect Goa from going into Maharashtra. If we had demanded special status for Goa then, I don't think then Congress leaders would have rejected our demand," said Faleiro. Stating that Goa had a good rate of growth and that its social indicators were among the best, Faleiro underscored the need to protect Goa's culture, heritage and language. "Goans are intelligent people, but we have one weakness, we should be proud of our culture, heritage, history and language," Faleiro said, citing examples of how the various tribes of the North Eastern states took pride in and zealously protected their culture. The AICC general secretary also let the party workers in on a secret of success. "There is no magic wand for success, but there is a magic formula-unity, discipline, and consolidating and strengthening of the Congress party at the grassroots level." Known to be always loyal to the Gandhi clan, Faleiro projected Sonia Gandhi as a "shining example of self sacrifice" and urged the party workers to emulate her in one's commitment to the party's cause while keeping one's interests behind. "Our strength is the leaders who led the nation to freedom; our strength is the leaders who gave their lives for the freedom of the country. Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and now we have got a shining example of self-sacrifice. Sonia Gandhi was given a mandate to become the prime minister twice, but she refused on both occasions, thus setting a shining example," said Faleiro. "Go to the people and take the party's plans and programmes to them, but don't expect any reward, your reward will be your satisfaction that you have done good work in your life. And if anyone says thank you, consider it a bonus. Your vision is the country," he advised his supporters. Earlier, state Congress president Subhash Shirodkar, former chief ministers Digambar Kamat and Rane, urged Faleiro to use his position at the Centre to influence policy decisions that would prove favourable for Goa. "The one person who can influence the Centre for special status for Goa is Luizinho Faleiro and I request him to take it up with the Centre," said Kamat. Shirodkar, however suggested that Faleiro, AICC secretary Girish Chodankar, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, work together to take up the issues concerning Goa, and urged Faleiro to "take the lead to create a common platform". Share your views