Wrong Claim (In Goa Today by Lambert Mascarenhas)
The claim of the Consul general of Portugal, Senhor Pedro Cabral Adao in an
interview with a
local publication "that there are high expectations of Portugal here and it
is difficult to meet the expectations of all kinds of people..." sounds
amusing to me who fought to drive away the unwanted Portugal from Goa and
India. By this token of repulsion, in the manner it was done, by force, how
can Goa expect anything from Portugal? To the sensitive and cultured Goans,
and to the Goan Freedom Fighters particularly, the comment of the Consul
General seems misconstrued and misplaced. Unwanted Portugal was ousted. So
how can the ouster expect favours from the dispossessed?
According to me, the only people who could be expecting something from
Portugal are a
section of the Goan rabble that is applying to Portugal for its citizenship,
not true Goan Indians, who are patriotic and proud to be Indians.
In fact, arguably, it is a great mistake on the part of the ex-President of
Portugal, Mario Soares (who I had the pleasure of shaking hands with on his
visit to Goa) to declare the Goans born prior to 1961, Liberation of Goa, as
Portuguese citizens, a declaration that is bound to cause Portugal itself,
facing general European phase of unemployment, a problem. It is to be
pointed out to Senhor Adao that some Goans already granted Portuguese
citizenship are illiterate, speaking not only a single word of Portuguese,
but even that of English.
On behalf of Goa Freedom Fighters and also of Goan people in general, I am
hereby stating, even affirming, that the proud Goans expect or want nothing
from Portugal. We are, however, appreciative, even amazed, at the hand of
friendship and expression of offer of help from democratic Portugal to
India. Had Dr. Antonio Salazar experienced the winds of change and come to
an amicable settlement, so desired by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, all
would have been well.
Lambert Mascarenhas
====== response by José Colaço
Dear Editor of Goa Today,
I am not very certain that the Portuguese Consul-General Senhor Pedro Cabral
Adao and Lambert Mascarenhas are on the same page.
Was Senhor Adao referring to the expectations of Goa when he referred to
'Expectations from
Portugal' or was he referring to the expectations of thousands of Goan
applicants for Portuguese Nationality?
Mr. Mascarenhas asks 'how can the ouster expect favours from the
dispossessed?'. Intriguing
question given the daily lines of Goans sitting patiently in the waiting
room of the Goa Consulate some for decades. Besides, is it really a
favour, or a right as far as the genuine Goan applicants are concerned?
It's not very clear why Mr. Mascarenhas is so concerned about the effect,
the issuance of
Portuguese passports to genuine Goan applicants, will have on Portugal's
unemployment. It is after all Portugal's headache. Is it not? Let Portugal
deal with it.
The point remains that most Goans who obtain Portuguese nationality, have
the opportunity
that Europe affords its citizens. As with anything else, those Goans who
work hard will succeed. Those who do not, will not.
With regards to the allegedly illiterate Goans who have been granted
Portuguese nationality, I'd like us to remind ourselves that if these
allegedly illiterate Goans have a legal right to Portuguese nationality, it
is their right. From the little I know, legal rights are quite independent
of literacy.
I contest Mr. Mascarenhas' Goan rabble - application to Portugal for
citizenship' blanket comment.
There are many learned and distinguished Goans who have have migrated to
Portugal; among them is the very learned Goan historian Dr. Teotonio de
Souza. There are many other Goan surnames one is likely to find in Portugal;
surnames like Correia Afonso, Coutinho, Brito, da Costa, Colaco-Dias,
Soares, de Abreu Noronha and Coisoro. Does Mr. Mascarenhas seriously believe
that these Goans qualify for the title of rabble? The very least Mr.
Mascarenhas could have done was qualify his comment.
About freedom fighters, patriotism and the rest, I wonder if Mr Mascarenhas
would classify Loyola Furtado and Pundalik Gaitonde as unpatriotic just
because they opted to leave Goa and migrate to Portugal.
I'd add here that the Indian Government is smart, and has let the past ills
of the Portuguese go with the water under the bridge. After all, India knows
that despite the rhetoric and bravado, we are all Saints and Sinners in one
form.
India and Portugal now have a close working relationship. I do understand
that for some, the only glory is the beating of past and irrelevant (in
present day terms) drums. Even so, it might be worth remembering that we
all stand to benefit if more among us would grow up and look to a future of
cooperation and benefit for all.
The repeated claims of Lambert and his compadres reminds me of the claims of
Macho Men who have children but forget thereafter to look after their
welfare.
I am sure Mr. Mascarenhas will correct me & remind us all of the plans his
group had developed to put into effect for Goa after the Portuguese were to
be (rightly) shown the red card; and IF the present chaotic state of my dear
Margao was part of that development plan.
With all the best of wishes, and the expectation that for every action,
there might be a very virulent reaction,
Speaking only for myself and not for others - definitely not for ALL Goans,
I remain yours very sincerely
José Colaço
Nassau, Bahamas
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