SALAZAR.
In his beautiful comment on my recent article "Memory of Yesteryear Tiatrists", Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza -
http://by104fd.bay104.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/compose?mailto=1&msg=56D86D42-252F-470C-82DA-7430ED41FB90&start=0&len=8117&src=&type=x&to=teodesouza@gmail.com&cc=&bcc=&subject=&body=&curmbox=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001&a=c623804d5bb41e4822be483c731d58bfd0922a060b7db461f297dd396ac3637c, Lisboa, Portugal, a great scholar and a great intellectual made a following statement on which I would like to comment. Since, the comment is coming from such a top known intellectual person, I feel I should write further.
"Fado, Futebol e Fatima as the Salazar critics would say?"
Hence, it reminded me of Salazar whose real name is Dr. Antonio Oliveira Salazar and according to Dr. Teotonio R. De Souza who is a scholar in research work,
"Salazar was born on 28-4-1889 and died on 27-7-1970. He was born in an average rural family and only male child. He studied first (1900-1908) in the diocesan seminary of Viseu where he took minor orders. After leaving the seminary fought for restoration of the rights of the Church against the Repbulican persecution. Joined Coimbra University to study law (1910-1914). Taught at that Faculty from 1916 where he became well known for his expertise in economics and finance. Was militant of the Portuguese Catholic Centre, a Catholic party founded in 1916. It elected Salazar as its deputy for Parliament in 1921. The military rulers invited him to be Minister of Finance in 1928. Took charge of the Government in 1932, and enforced his own constitution for the country in 1933 instituting an authoritarian New State, which was brought down by the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974.
There is no unanimity about the benefits of this regime. No one questions the simplicity of his life, but also his passionate convictions on some issues. Defended rural life and its traditional values. Died without any significant personal bank accounts. The major accusations against him point to his inflexibility and incapacity to accompany the rapid changes in the world scenario. He seemed scared by any major change. They overtook him."
Salazar was a part of Goan history. Goa was grabbed by Bharat by using force when he was ruling Portugal. He never expected Nehru a follower of Non-Violence movement initiated by the father of the nation Gandhiji would use violence to annex Goa to Bharat. But unfortunately it happened and only by using violence and military force Nehru grabbed Goa for Bharat. Everybody said Salazar was a "fury" and would not listen to saner sense easily. If he had to listen and handed over real and genuine liberation to Goa under the administration of genuine and true sons of Goa, irrespective of their religious affiliation before 1961 December, would not Goa be a safer and lucrative place for the sons of the soil and for Goan posterity?
He was a dictator and dictators are always harsh. For asking freedom for their lands, freedom fighters from Angola and Mocambique during his regime were mercilessly punished. When these freedom fighters ran for their safety to the jungles, Salazar ordered to burn these jungles. When Bharat serkar under Nehru asked him to hand over my beloved Goa which is under seige now from all sides by our Montris and non - Goan influx, he forcefully said NO and converted Goa into a foreighn territory of Portugal. The status of Goa no noubt brought on par with motherland Portugal but were Goans treated in a real sense as Portuguese?
Inspite of his arrogance in rulership I still feel he had soft corner for many things as a person. Pe. Chico Monteiro from Candolim and the big man of Lar dos Estudantes, Panjim, in 1960 visited Portugal. During his short stay in Portugal, he showed his interest in meeting Salazar who till last moments before Pe. Chico Monteiro's leaving for Goa did not know that Pe. Chico is in Lisbon. Pe. Chico tried all the avenues to explore ways and means to get an audience with Salazar. During the last 15 minutes of his despare attempt, Salazar's Peon comes to know of Pe. Chico's wish and somehow or the other the Peon informs Salazar of a Goan Priest by name Pe. Chico Monteiro is in his Palace and desparately trying to get an audience with you but down the line administrators ignoring and neglecting Pe. Chico. Listening to his Peon, Salazar reacted fast and asked his Secretary to send for Pe. Chico Monteiro immediately. Then with a broad smile Salazar gave standing welcome to Pe. Chico, spoke to him for about 15 minutes. The topics that Salazar discussed with Pe. Chico were: Futebol in Goa, upliftment of poor Goans, unity of Hindu - Christian communities and well being of Pe. Chico himself. According to Pe. Chico Monteiro who disclosed this to me once, Salazar during those very memorable 15 minutes with him spoke like a fatherly figure with all his humility. And after saying "adeus" to Salazar, Pe. Chico Monteiro walked out from Salazar's Cabin all excited and in happy mood. While Pe. Chico was walking out a few seconds after he left Salazar's Cabin, Salazar came with swift steps following Pe. Chico Monteiro, discarding the protocol and even ignoring his own security calling loudly thus: "Sr. Padre, Sr. Padre, Teu Chapeu, Chapeu" holding Pe. Chico's Hat in his hand. Pe. Chico was totally astonished and was embarassed because he forgot his Hat on the table of Salazar while leaving Salazar's oggice. Pe. Chico had a habbit of always wearing a nice Hat in which his puny stature gave an extra majestic look of Pe. Chico.
The above incident indicates how humble a man Salazar was. He was not proud of his highest position. First he showed his simplicity by giving full freedom to his Peon to talk to him freely and secondly his deep simplicity and humility of condescending and coming himself with the Hat of Pe. chico and handing it over to him. Would our Indian and Goan Ministers would show such a humility and simplicity?
Salazar adored Fatima Saibinn. He was a true Catholic and a genuine Christian. He always revered religous leaders. When Pope Paul VI visited Fatima in Portugal, Salazar as a Premier of Portugal personally went to welcome the Pope there and how did he welcome His Holiness? Salazar welcomed the Pope by kneeling down on both his knees by kissing the hand of the Pope. This holy gesture of Salazar even surprised the Pope. It created history. When Kennedy a devout Catholic met Pope he did not emulate Salazar. Neither Pele when he met Pope during his Honeymoon visit to Italy.
When the same Pope in 1964 came to Bombay for Eucharistic Congress, He was welcomed by the entire Indian Cabinet headed by the President of India Dr. Radakrishnan and Premier Lal Bahadur Shastri. Indira Gandhi too was present to welcome the Pope, she was an Information and Broadcasting Minister of India.
Salazar loved Fado the Portuguese Folk song. We also love our folk song Manddo with dulpod. Our Goan Manddo and Portugal's Fado are both most attractive forms of songs. Both excite our respective cultural, traditional and historical attributes and both take us deep into our past and make us realise how great our folk songs are. Manddo culture, Manddo singing and also Manddo Festival in Kuwait was introduced by me and it was only me, Kuwait Konknni Kendr and my colleagues responsible for Manddo awakening in Kuwait. Thru this awakening we in Kuwait created a "Manddekar" in Rosary Ferns whose genius is such that he is now become one of the best Manddo composers in the world of Manddo.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Elections are held to give people an opportunity to choose representatives for their own benefit, but election for Navelim Constituency was an examination to prove what Luizinho had always emphasized on ‘Navelimcho lok mahan lok”, ‘Navelim-cho lok huxear lok”. Sorry to tell you Mr. Luizinho, elections for the year 2007 proved you wrong. People of Navelim are not intellects neither great, but they are ungrateful crocodiles and can go to any extent to gain money. For them money in God and so they serve any creature, and are even ready to announce a fool as king. The only thing that this fool needs is to possess money. 
