R.I.P. MGP.
Robert Stevenson in one of his novels rightly said that “Punishment comes lame footed”. Yes, it comes either today or tomorrow but it certainly comes and finally it came for Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party when in the recently held election it lost miserably winning only 2 Seats. MGP is such a fake party it was formed by the adopted Goans whose main motto was to liquidate the identity of Goa, Goan culture, Goan tradition, Goan history and above all the traditional Goan religious amity. For over 15 years from the time of the exit of Portuguese from Goa, MGP ruled over Goa giving the testimony of its anti-Goan, anti-Konkani and above all anti-Christian exercises. It survived on the fallacy that they propagated saying Goa belongs to Hindus only – one of their stalwarts once even called Goan Christao as “Dukor”, they survived on the weakness of the “hoi polloi” Hindus who were told that Christao are their worst enemies.
MGP survived on the slogan it passed on to their intellectually poor followers that during the Portuguese time Christao enjoyed better facilities than the Hindus and hence Hindus must teach Christao a very good lesson now. In the bargain Goan brother became enemy of his own Goan brother of course from different religious affinity. There appeared a rift between Goan Christao and Goan Hindu imposed forcibly by MGP. In fact during the Portuguese regime Goan Hindus enjoyed better dividends. They captured Government jobs in good number. The entire Mining industry was owned and controlled by the Hindus, almost entire Goan Commerce was into the hands of Hindus, almost all the agencies of imported foreign goods was their monopoly. Christao made little money only by migrating to Bombay and other parts of the world including Africa and Gulf. Whatever MGP told to its followers against Christao was nothing but pure lies. The aim of MGP was to detach everything Goanness from Goa and also uproot genuine Goans and dilute the same in the big ocean of Maharastra by making Goa as part of Maharastra and in the bargain liquidate Konkani and in its place impose a foreign language Marathi into Goa. The purpose of this exercise is to destabilize Goan Christao from Goa, make them unwanted in Goa and treat them as Jews in the Naziland. Incidentally this process of destabilization of Christao is still going on with the blessings of BJP under Parrikar and all the ex MGP partymen now turned into Congressmen.
When this tirade against Goa, Goans and Konkani was going on in Goa under the leadership of MGP, we were new comers to Kuwait. We immediately created our front in Kuwait to oppose MGP dadagiri in Goa. We created our front in Kuwait to support Konkani cause and thru it the cause of Statehood for Goa. Besides us in Kuwait, nobody anywhere in the world outside Goa formed such a mighty front to support the cause of Goa and Konkani. We formed associations and committees to raise funds for the cause of Konkani. Lakhs of rupees were sent from Kuwait for the cause of Konkani and because of it Konkani movement in Goa got a big booster. For example, Novem Goem Prastishtan, Konkani Porjecho Avaz, Konkani Martys Funds, Donations for the promotion of Konkani Magazines like Gulab, financial aid for Konkani Books like Fr. Antonio Pereira’s “Konkani Voparinchem Bhanddar” etc. Our dearest and nearest in Goa were instructed not to support MGP and not to vote for MGP candidates. Our relatives were instructed to give non-cooperation to MGP and its stalwarts and supporters. We went to Goa on vacations and taking advantage of this we participated in the agitations, morchas and even hunger strikes in support of Konkani because Konkani is the soul of Goa. Without Konkani no separate statehood was possible for Goa. Hence, the need of the recognition of Konkani and based on it alone finally the statehood for Goa was granted.
I salute all our colleagues and associates who fought with us and supported us for the victory of Konkani. To wage this battle from Kuwait where sometimes one finds no time even to eat his food properly and no proper place to rest and sleep, was not an easy task but, we, like mad people carried it forward by forgetting all our personal and family needs. We did less or no savings from what little we earned but spent more or everything after Konkani cause for the sake of Goa. Only because we are mad that we succeeded in creating a revolution from Kuwait for the cause of Konkani. And who makes revolutions? Only the mad people like us make revolutions – Mad not mentally but mad for the cause, mad ideologically. Many or most of our colleagues and supporters are no more in Kuwait now but their precious support at that time helped us to fight the brute might of MGP which was fighting against Konkani. When I just think of our movements in this direction I myself just cannot imagine how I could manage to give leaderships in Kuwait for so many Konkani causes for the survival and upliftment of Konkani. Moreover, I just cannot understand how such a mighty force of Kuwait Goans supported us and followed our direction for the cause of Konkani which MGP wanted to liquidate and in its place implant Marathi. Before my coming to Kuwait, there was no move in Kuwait to fight for the cause of Konkani and many of the Goan causes in Goa. It was not that Konkani cause was not existing then but surely right leadership, appropriate direction and genuine guidance from upright, genuine and selfless leaders was missing. Hence, our entry into this space which was rightly supported by our followers.
It is with pride we say congratulations to all our colleagues and supporters who so vigorously fought for the cause of Konkani against MGP’s move. We Kuwaitkars are partly responsible for helping the liquidation of MGP. After the victory of Konkani and Statehood MGP lost major plank to fight for its cause. With the victory of 2 candidates in the last election, MGP is consigned to permanent flames from where it will never come back. These two elected MLA’s have no principles and neither their voters who during the election campaign shouted slogans against Congress and worked against Congress by creating Congress as their worst enemy. Now, these same 2 MLAs are joining Congress shameless. They are like prostitutes ready to sleep with anyone offering money. This is the culture of MGP. Ramakant Khalap and Shashikala Kakodkar are also consigned to eternal flames. They are the worst enemies of Goa working against the interest of Goa and Konkani by standing under the shade of MGP Umbrella. They got their punishment deservingly. And during my last so many years of political experience I noticed one thing that those people who harassed us, that is, genuine Goans working for the cause of Goa and Konkani finally suffered too much in Goan political field, they are become very depressed and dejected and lost in political life forever.
In this election MGP got 2 Seats but in future, they will get a big ZERO which will send it into total liquidation. It has no more value in Goa because its main objectives like liquidation of Konkani and merging Goa with Maharastra have failed eternally. We from Kuwait also worked for this failure. Their third and the only remaining objective, i.e., liquidation of Christao and Christianity from Goa is taken over by their colleague BJP. Will BJP succeed where MGP failed? Never. Goa is not North India nor Gujarat. Goa is unique with its totally different characteristics unlike those that are existing elsewhere in India. Meantime, will the present Goan generation working in Kuwait help Goa and Goans in demolishing the nasty head of BJP as we seniors did for MGP from Kuwait? Though I have my doubts yet time alone will give the testimony.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
