Sir, It is apparent that Flaviano Dias' article "In Freedom Struggle Goans fought as Indians" (Panorama, March 6, 2005) is a last ditch effort to project the controversial VCD as the gospel truth, just as he tries to discount another point of view that "All fought freedom struggle as Goans". While Flaviano Dias and other historians are entitled to their version of history, what alarmed most right thinking people of Goa, was the manner in which the VCD was sought to be forced upon young, impressionable minds in schools.
While Flaviano Dias has perhaps justifiably sung hosannas to a host of "freedom fighters" who according to him, played important roles in the freedom movement, he has astonishingly failed to even mention nationalists like Dr. Antonio Anastasio Bruto da Costa, who went beyond mere posturing, manouevring and underground activities to display the courage of his conviction by slapping the Portuguese governor Fernando de Quintanilha Mendonca e Dias where the Overseas Minister Sarmento Rodrigues was also present. Incidentally Dr. Bruto da Costa categorically stated that he was not a "freedom fighter but surely a nationalist." And in 1962, Dr. Bruto da Costa wrote a very moving letter to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, which I would invite Flaviano Dias to read and comment upon. It may be pertinent to note, that never during his lifetime did Dr. Bruto da Costa ever accept any monetary benefits for the services of love rendered by him to his homeland against Portuguese rule. Mr. Dias may not have noticed it, but even today some of his fellow freedom fighters are still valiantly carrying on their struggle. However, although they were to constrained carry on their activities clandestinely, during colonial times, today they are liberated enough to openly go on the rampage, wantonly destroying public and private property perceived by them to be symbols of Portuguese rule in Fontainhas. Flaviano Dias and his band of freedom fighters claim to have liberated Goa and Goans from the bondage of the Portuguese. I would hope that they would now lead their fellow Goans in the struggle against the shackles of corruption, communalism, casteism and most of the struggle to win back the financial autonomy we once enjoyed . It is distressing for Goans to see that the thousands of crores in foreign exchange earned through our tourism, mining and foreign remittances, is only a dim mirage on the distant horizon. Vasco da Gama
