After the victory of Goans in the historic Opinion Poll, Dr. Jack Sequeira was, as I was told then, asked how he took the risk of accepting Opinion Poll when MGP forces were in full swing under their anti-Goan, anti-Konkani and anti-Christian leader Dayananda Bandodkar, to devour Goa bodily and soully, Dr. Sequeira replied thus: “ I had full confidence in my Saxttikar brothers and sisters who will not let Goa down and finally it was these people who saved Goa from getting liquidated from the world map”. In fact it was a big risk that Dr. Sequeira took and if we lost the verdict in favour of Merger, oh my God!! What would be the fate of Dr. Sequeira and his followers and ultimately of Goa?
The love for Goa, Konkani and Goan causes shown by the Saxttikars and the sacrifices they made for the sake of Goa will remain in the history of Goa written in golden capital letters. The freedom fighters coming from Salcette are genuine while many of them from North Goa were fake who involved in freedom movement not to drive Portuguez out of Goa but to drive Goan Christians out of Goa as if Goa belongs to Hindus only. Some of the top Goan Freedom fighters are from Salcette and they are all Christians. And as a matter of fact, the great Goan freedom fighter Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes from Navelim, Salcette, who even raised his voice against Portuguese colonialism from European soil was a Christian. He was so brave and intellectual that he went to Portugal and asked from Portugal freedom for Goa. He was not a communal and showed no anti-Hindu feelings as many of the Hindu freedom fighters from North Goa showed their bias against Goan Christians. The residual parts from them who are still surviving are still showing their anti-Christian tirade as if Goan Christians are pro-Portuguez and theyalone are pro-Bharat.
During the 15 years of MGP rule in Goa, the entire Salcette suffered having no development done by MGP Government, first under Dayananda Bandodkar and then under his daughter Shashikala Kakoddkar. This was like a punishment meted out to Salcette by the MGP government for supporting UGP. Yet, our Saxttikars never relented and remained firm for Goa and for their principles in support of Goan causes. During MGP rule North Goa received full backing for its development while South Goa got step motherly treatment.
During the language agitation Saxttikars supported this movement like anything with the strong backing of Ilhaskars and because of such a tremendous support Konkani got recognition paving the way for the statehood for Goa.
In Kuwait also Saxttikar gave tremendous support for the Goan causes especially for Konkani movement. Many of my colleagues and supporters in Konkani movement from Kuwait were my brothers and sisters from Salcette. I found in them lot of enthusiasm for fighting for the right cause of Goa and given the right type of leadership they will support any Goan cause for the good of Goa and Goans.
But now what is happening in Goa in Salcette and with Salcettkars is really sickening. The way things are going on in Salcette it looks Saxttikars have already lost their sanity to think right and to act right. When UGP merged wholesomely with Congress, first with Congress – U and later on with Congress – I, our Saxttikars lost their earlier political uprightness. There appeared total chaos among politicians there. Corrupt Politicians like Churchill Alemao, Mauwin Godingo, Dr. Proto Barbosa and others like them who got elected on anti-MGP platform openly embraced MGP by defecting from the Congress Party. All these defectors shamelessly took political shelter under the “GAGRO” of Shashikala Kakodkar. From here the corruption took a firm grip of Goa because defectors wanted money and to make money corruption was the only route which all the defectors followed without any shame. While the corrupt defectors took their stand of defecting unilaterally, the powerful voters’ force of the defectors remained silent accepting the defections blindly. This force became silent observer of the wrong decisions taken by their elected representatives.
The first ever defection in Goa under Bandodkar Government took place in late sixties, 5 UGP MLA’s defected to MGP, one of them was Valente Sequeira from Calangute constituency. One of the Calangute voters and strong supporters of UGP Mr. Pedro Coutinho when he got this news, in his Royal Enfield Bullet he sped to Valente’s residence at Candolim to shake Valente but knowing Pedro's anger Valente went underground for few days and resurfaced in the Assembly for vote of confidence. Otherwise Pedro would tear Valente Sequeira into pieces. Immediately with the support of all Pedros from Calangute constituency, UGP held a public meeting at Calangute soccer ground and tore Valente’s credibility into pieces to the extent that for the next election Valente became a big Zero.
Surprisingly there was no Pedro Coutinho in any of the Salcette constituencies to question any of the defectors when PDF Governemnt was formed with the support of Congress defector MLA’s. Why the Salcette voters remained silent and still they are doing the same, of course unfortunately? They have lost their zeal to fight for justice. Because they lost their zeal to fight for justice their representatives are fooling them. If they were really interested in fighting for justice they would not allow SAVE GOA MLA’s to jump into Congress for the love of Loaves and Bread for themselves. Or the Salcette voters are become purchasable commodities? By their silence over the defections of their representatives they are allowing corruption to flourish not only in their areas and constituencies but all over Goa as well. By this corruption process they make entire Goa the victim of corruption. Currently most of the corrupt elected representatives are from South Goa and regretfully they are all Christians practicing anti-Christian ways and to gain benefits for them and for their families they are corrupting the whole of Goa. Thru their corrupt practices they are crucifying Christ again and again. Their going to Pota and Vailankani and adoring Fulanco Khris at Bambolim is all external show. Today Goa is suffering because of the cursed corrupt leaders from South Goa and more because they are elected by the corrupt voters from the South Goa only.
When Dr. Jack Sequeira imposed his friend Dr. Willie D’Souza from Anjuna on the voters of Colva, the Colva voters refused to accept a foreigner from outside Colva constituency in their own constituency even though Dr. Willie represented UGP and instead the Colva voters elected their own representative Luto Ferrao contested from MGP ticket. This showed the firm stand taken by Colva voters against UGP for fielding an outsider in their Colva citadel. That was the might of Saxttikar then to fight for their right but now any Ladru – Pedru from Salcette contest from anywhere in Salcette and their respective voters are getting them elected. These voters now are not asking why they should elect a foreigner in their own constituency? Are the current voters become purchasable commodities in Salcette? It looks like.
I don’t understand why Saxttikar once acting like Tigers to save Goa are now become Goats in front of the butchers. When Sardinha embraced BJP thereby giving a strong foothold to communal BJP in Goa, surprisingly the entire Salcette remained dumb like goats thereby accepting Sardinha’s political "harakiri". But earlier during the Konkani agitation when Curtorim constituents came to know the chicanery of Sardinha towards Konkani, they went and destroyed his house thereby bringing sanity to Sardinha to act upright towards Konkani cause.
When Mathanay Saldanha embraced BJP after getting elected from different party not a single soul from Cortalim objected Saldanha’s wrong move. On the contrary he was treated like a hero. Cortalim voters are on record to change the course of support for 2 Leaves during the Opinion Poll thereby killing the lead of Flower and thus destroy the might of anti-Christian MGP. But now how they accepted their own representative Mathanay Saldanha to embrace communal and anti-Christian BJP was the big question mark. And can anyone imagine a man like Mathanay Saldanha turning a Judas when in the past he was hailed as the most upright politician? Was it not money in crores that forced him to change his original self?
In Kuwait also the trend among Saxttikars is changing very fast. Currently many of the Saxttikars are become “PONCH” and because they are so, some of them, as alleged, are doling their wives and daughters to the corrupt Goan visiting politicians. The greatness of earlier Saxttikars has gone forever. Current crop is only interested in money and fake honour which they get from the visiting corrupt Goan politicians. But this tamasha is only a temporary. The biggest robbers who robbed the Goan community funds to the tune of lakhs are from Salcette, all from Curtorim. The biggest sex maniac in our community demanding sex in exchange of jobs is also a Saxttikar coming also from Curtorim only. This man known for committing the sin of Narvenkarism was also responsible to devour the funds in Goa collected by Kuwait Goan Evacuees Society. All their supporters and colleagues are equally guilty for keeping their silence on these robberies and mischief.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
