Officials at the office of the Rear Admiral Western Command Mumbai who oversee the functioning of the Naval Sea Bird at Anjediva off Canacona coast are probably unclear of the conditions or rather appear "to ignore" (as has been their strategy in dealing with civilians wherever they venture ) the ground realities under which the Island had been handed over to them for the Sea Bird Project in 1987 now commissioned as INS KADAMBA .
They never take kindly to the letters exchanged by the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. Last year 2005 they did not permit entry to the island allegedly because a mofussil group was claiming that they should be permitted on the Island to celebrate a feast of a Hindu deity. But did not have the courtesy to put the same in writing and merely conveyed it telephonically to the priest overseeing the activities of the Church. The Navy fell head over heels to accept this new theory so also the District Commissioner of Uttar Kanara. They vowed to accept this demand and equated the terms and conditions of Goa Government to permit celebration of feasts of Our Lady of Brotas and St Francis de Assisi with that demanded by this unregistered mofussil group from Karwar, apprehending law and order situation which was off their own making and foolishness. This itself was wrong but then Station Commander Sea Bird Commodre B R Rao created this mess fed false information to Mr George Fernandes then Union Defence Minister and informed both Ms Sonia Gandhi then Leader of Opposition and the ex Chief Minister of Goa Mr Manohar Parrikar "that temples were demolished on the Island and reconstructed elsewhere all this was rubbish as proved by the undersigned in letters and documentary evidence to the President of India the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister. But yet the Navy uses this alibi. The Archdiocese of Goa & Daman does not wish to ruffle feathers for fear of communal backlash. Agreed but why compromise on our legitimate right our historical beginnings of the Portuguese advent to Goa , the construction of the first Church which bears the insignia of the Mother Church ( the second one was St Catherine Chapel / Church at Old Goa) Now to repeat this same alibi this year too we understand that notwithstanding the traditions and sentiments involved in visiting the church (they have already ruined one chapel of St Francis de Assisi owing to neglect by navy) for customary feast they are perhaps inclined to direct that the visit to the island for the feast OR ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY will be turned down for operational and security reasons by the officials of the Western Command Mumbai their higher ups. This writer contacted officials in New Delhi Karwar Mumbai and the offices of the President Prime Minister Chairperson of UPA Ms Sonia Gandhi Dr John Dayal, Ms Margaret Alva to clear the point that : 1. any decision not to permit the people of Goa and others to celebrate the feast AMOUNTS TO VIOLATION OF AGREED CONDITIONS 2. as regards reference TO ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY ONE IS NOT CLEAR .ONLY TWO FEASTS NOSSA SENHORA DE BROTAS ON 2ND FEB AND FEAST OF ST FRANCIS DE ASSISI 4TH OCT WERE CELEBRATED ON ANJEDIV ISLAND SURVEY NOS 1 , 2 , 3 CANACONA TALUKA AREA 34 0075 HA AND NONE OTHER UNTIL 2004 4. MEETING OF JT SEC (NAVY) WITH CHIEF OF SEC GOVT OF GOA ON 6.6.1987, ORDERS OF TRANSFER BY GOA GOVT DATED 8/12/1987 26/07/1989 AND LETTER DATED 24/04/2000 FROM CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF IS VERY CLEAR --- NAVY SHOULD ALLOW CUSTOMARY FEAST OF BOTH AS ABOVE --- SUBJECT TO SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS. 5. FEASTS AND ISLAND RELATE TO GOA THOUGH PASSAGE TO THE ISLAND IS THRO KARWAR KARNATAKA 6. REFUSAL AMOUNTS TO VIOLATION OF AGREED CONDITIONS AND SMACKS OF HIGHANDEDNESS OF NAVY & A VOLTE FACE BESIDES HURTING RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS . RUIN OF ASSISI CHURCH IS YET ANOTHER VIOLATION. FORTY FOUR CANNONS ON ISLAND ANOTHER CASE OF VIOLATION OF TERMS DEMANDING PRESERVING THESE ITEMS Therefore notwithstanding what may be the view point of the Navy as done last year 2005 ALL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN FINALISED AT OUR END. DEVOTEES WILL VISIT CHURCH AN HOUR BEFORE THE FIRST MASS AT 1000 AM AND SECOND MASS AT 1300 HRS AND RETURN . ONLY TRANSPORT, DRINKING WATER AND MOBILE TOILETS NEED TO BE ARRANGED by the NAVY. It is reliably learnt that the office of the Secretary Revenue Government of Goa has put forth his comments and placed the same for the directions of the Chief Minister. It is expected that the Chief Minister will contact the Union Defence Minister and ensure that the terms of the agreement are abided with. incidentally the Secretary Revenue also doubles up as Secretary to the Governor, but as the Governor is away until 3rd February, 2006 contacts are being established with is OSD Mr Sebastian Z. It is a fact that CM Rane too had made a blunder in stating that temples were shifted from the Island and that led to further confusion. The officials at the Archbishops office have also sent a communique late as on 30th January, 2006. It is therefore incumbent for all the faithful and our elected representatives to ensure that the Navy does not have the cake and eat it too after all Anjediv island was offered on a platter though the terms and conditions stipulate need to assess the consideration based on market value for compensation. Devotees are therefore required to keep in touch with the undersigned for the developments in the matter until the Feast day. To visit the Island proceed by bus going to Mangalore or Karwar and get down at Karwar bus stand and then proceed to Binaga by autorickshaw and await near any of the gates preferably at the Administrative gate. Telephone Nos of the SEA BIRD Commodore K P Ramachandran 08382 2634083 (FAX) 263454 (O) email [EMAIL PROTECTED] or Contact PA to Commodore Ramachandran Ms Margaret Lobo. GODFREY J I GONSALVES B-F-4 1ST FLOOR HILLSIDE APARTMENTS BORDA MARGAO GOA 9822158584 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com