Sans prejudice
The late Jawaharlal Nehru (JN)seized Goa by means of war which was against
Ghandhi’s principles of non-violence. The way Goa was handled by the great
JN was a blunder because Portugal was in no way any match for India. It was
not a “liberation” as some people call it, it was designed to increase JN’s
own popularity contest which was dwindling during the Indo China war. I
recall JN’s statement (which was repeated on Goanet when Goans wanted to
have self rule like Falkland Island and recently East Timor), JN retorted
saying “Goa ka lokh ajeeb hai” – little did JN know the history and culture
of Goans for 451 years. Perhaps his knowledge was only based on P&O cruises
that he may have taken during his reign and the information spread in the
Gandhi family.
As Wikipedia states: The 1961 annexation of Goa (also referred to as
Operation Vijay),Invasion of Goa, the Liberation of Goa and the
Portuguese-Indian War was an action by India’s armed forces that ended
Portuguese rule in its Indian enclaves in 1961. The Operation Vijay by the
Indian government, involved air, sea and land strikes (bridges) for over 36
hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of Portuguese
colonial rule in Goa. Twenty two Indians (there should have been none) and
thirty Portuguese were killed in the fighting. The brief conflict drew a
mixture of world wide praise and condemnation. In India, the action was
seen as liberation of historically Indian territory, while Portugal and U.N.
viewed it as an aggression against national soil. The United Nations took 14
years to recognise Goa as a part of India (1975)
I recall the words of J.F. Kennedy in 1961 to India “You spend the last
fifteen years preaching ... People are saying, the preacher has been caught
coming out of the brothel”
The Republic of India did not exist at the time when Goa came under
Portuguese rule – 1510. India was only born in 1947, how then can the
liberation” take place?
I think the Goans must stop using the word "liberation" as this is the
Indian propaganda and freedom fighters “retirement funds”. When any country
is invaded, the first thing that the military does is to take control of all
air and sea ports. Therefore, after a certain period of time when there is
a Government formed, the Army surrenders control of air and sea ports to the
Civilians. The Dabolim airport is run by the Navy since 1961 and they are
in full control until today. Furthermore, there are barracks of army in the
heart of Panajim where there are civilians! Goa is still occupied; however,
this time around by the Indian military.
As far as Konkani goes, it will slowly fade away simply because of Goan
Diaspora and the euphoria of speaking English and Portuguese. Speak English
as well as your mother tongue “Konkani”. I am going to start right from now.
The Goans in Goa are talking English and Goans overseas keep saying they do
not know Konkani. Hindi and Marathi are already the main languages in Goa
and English is used by the elite Goans!? Konkani is disowned by many in Goa
and particularly overseas. The life of Konkani depends more on Goans
overseas.
Dialogue and communication is important if we are to keep our Goan identity
alive mostly in Diaspora as there are more Goans overseas than in Goa and
other parts of India. It is high time that the Goan organisations abroad
commence talking in Konkani even if the accents are not in par with the pure
Konkani speakers.
In the circumstance I am seizing this opportunity of including some
passionate Goans and non-Goans who have at some point in time written or
copied me on their e-mails/and or Goan forums. It is the responsibility of
each Goan settled overseas to keep in touch with our language and use this
as the main purpose of existence.
Young kids have the ability to learn more than one language as they are
growing. I know of families that talk to their children in English, Konkani
and Portuguese.
The onus to keep Konkani going rests with Goans settled abroad who are the
beacon of light for our mother tongue to exist.
Thank you.
Mog anee somseekai assundi
(Let there be love and understanding)
Oscar C. Lobo
Goa battles to preserve its identity
TNNMay 16, 2010, 01.51am IST
Goawas liberated on December 19, 1961. Over 450 years of Portuguese
domination came to an end, Goa became free and a part and parcel of its
motherland—Bharat. Democracy was ushered in. Goans, all of a sudden, found
themselves in a completely different situation. They started breathing free
air in a democratic atmosphere.
As a teenager I was witness to the happenings taking place in Goa . Some
were pleasant, others disastrous. Soon after Liberation Goan society was
vertically divided due to two major issues: (a) Goa's merger into
Maharashtra or Goa's preservation as a separate state and (b) the language
issue—Ktinonkani or Marathi as Goa 's Official language.
The ultimate aim of those who supported the Marathi language as Goa's
official language was to merge Goa into Maharashtra . Those who advocated
the cause of Konkani as Goa's official language, dreamt of preserving Goa as
a separate state in the Indian Union.
Thus Goans, who had always lived in harmony, without any discrimination of
caste, creed and religion, were now pitted against each other to fight a
battle and decide whether to preserve Goa and its unique identity by
achieving full-fledged statehood or destroy Goa and its unique identity by
merging it into Maharashtra .
The first battle among Goans was fought in January 1967 when the only
opinion poll in the country was held in Goa by the Indian government. The
opinion poll was to decide whether Goa will be merged into Maharashtra or
continue as a union territory. Goans overwhelmingly decided against the
merger of Goa into Maharashtra and Goa continued as a union territory.
However, to achieve statehood for Goa the official language issue had to be
solved first. Another conflict began among Goans to attain official language
status to Konkani or Marathi.
The language agitation was the largest ever agitation witnessed in the
history of Goa . This battle was not fought completely on democratic
principles. It was left to the political will of the then ruling Indian
National Congress party. This took place in 1987 after almost 20 years of
the opinion poll.
By then much water had flown down the Mandovi river. Goa's many political
leaders who fought tooth and nail for Marathi and to merge Goa into
Maharashtra were now controlling the affairs of the Congress party. It is
because of these people that the language agitation turned bitter, bloody
and complicated. Although the Congress stood for Konkani, some Congressmen,
then an effective lobby able to influence any decision in the Congress,
succeeded in granting Marathi language almost the same status.
The only difference being Konkani was placed at the first level and Marathi
at the second level in Goa 's Official Language Act. Whatever may be the
interpretation of the Act, Konkani became the official language of Goa in
February 1987 and immediately thereafter, Goa was declared a separate state
on 30th May, 1987.
If we analyze this brief background, the struggle to make Goa a separate
state was mainly to preserve Goa and its identity. Development of the state
could have taken place even if it was merged into Maharashtra . If the final
aim in achieving statehood for Goa was to preserve and promote Goan
identity, has that goal been realized?
About 23 years have passed since Goa attained statehood. During these 23
years, what has been the progress record in the preservation of Goa 's
unique identity for which the elders sacrificed? Are there any specific
efforts made by the government to protect Goa 's identity?
After attaining statehood Goa's political environment was completely
polluted due to the misdeeds of some of Goa 's politicians. Politicians in
Goa became power-hungry, greedy and selfish. They mastered the art of
toppling governments and projected Goa as a politically notorious state in
the country. They concentrated on developmental projects as such projects
helped in their personal development too. In the bargain, they completely
forgot the most important aim of all the battles that Goans
fought—preservation and promotion of Goan identity.
Konkani language, which is the foundation of Goan identity, has not made any
progress in any field in Goa .
Educationally it is restricted to very few primary schools compared to
Marathi primary schools.
The number of English as well as Kannada primary schools is on the rise. In
secondary schools and in all other higher educational institutions it is
English, which controls the educational scenario. Konkani is being replaced
even in households by English because parents feel that the future of their
children depends on the knowledge of English alone. The scene at the markets
is more disturbing. Non-Goans control the sale of vegetables, fish, etc.
Instead of doing business by speaking the Konkani language they speak in
Hindi and Goans carry on their marketing with the help of Hindi. Konkani
language—the most important factor of Goan identity—is slowly and
systematically being displaced from the Goan soil.
Look at the rapid increase in the Goan population. The percentage of
non-Goans in Goa is almost 40%. If the same influx trend continues, in
another decade, Goans will be a minority in their own state.
There has been a serious setback to the promotion of Goan culture.
The 40% non-Goans settled in Goa promote not Goan culture, but their own
culture among their children. The children from the original Goan families
ape western culture. If this is the reality, in what way is Goan identity
protected and promoted for posterity? The most important goal of achieving
statehood for Goa was the preservation and promotion of Goan culture and in
doing so to strengthen Goan identity. Unfortunately this has not taken place
because the political will in Goa has completely failed to extract the
benefits of statehood for Goa and its identity.
I assume Tomazinho Cardozo is the same Tomazinho who was declared ‘Goan of
the Year 2011’ and iscurrently the First President of Tiatr Academy of Goa
and a tiatrist himself. According to his profile ‘he's been a teacher,
teaching Science and Mathematics, who later on retired as Headmaster in
2005. He was also the Sarpanch of Candolim for 22 years. Later he was also
elected as the M.L.A and the Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly. He also
contributes his ideas and opinions in the form of writing to various
newspapers and magazines both in English and Konkani (Roman Script). He has
as many as 24 books to his credit. He is also a recipient of many awards and
is probably the only Goan to receive as many as three State awards.’
I think I acquired one of his books from my Uncle Basilio Magno on my visit
to Spain last year. Although I’m struggling to remember the title, I think
the cover of the book was of a man with a snake round his neck?
On the subject of Konkani, I’ve also found Tomazinho’sinterview with
Frederick Noronha titled ‘Romi Konkani, the case for it’ at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RskbBtMbhsM
