Prof. James from Assonora Bardez was my professor at Xavier’s College, Goa. He was a brilliant English teacher whose every lecture was a great lesson for the students. During Portuguese time he was a great Goan Christian freedom fighter who faced imprisonment and beatings from the Portuguese Agente. A few years back when I was on my vacation in Goa, I met him at the residence of Rangel Bastora, at Bastora Bardez where while on discussion on Goan political scene, I asked him this question: “Professor James, don’t you feel guilty to see the sad state of affairs Goa is undergoing now? What was your purpose to fight for Goa's freedom? Just to drive away the Portuguese out of Goa and leave Goa into the hands of these current corrupt politician rogues?”. Then I went a step further and accused the genuine Goan freedom fighters for keeping their silence on the corruption that is going on in Goa because they freedom fighters are quiet and watching everything as silent observers, adding further that they have to fight for one more freedom for Goa from these rogue politicians otherwise their sacrifices for the genuine cause of Goa will go waste.
The job of a genuine freedom fighter is not only to fight for political freedom but also for social and economic justice. The current politicians in Goa are devouring all the assets of Goa for their benefits and for the benefits of their family members. All the third class people who till recently had no proper means to eat properly are today become crorepotis by involving in politics which is become a very lucrative business especially for the ‘Chors’. While these corrupt practices are done by our corrupt politicians by sucking the blood of poor masses thereby keeping them economically weak, what role our freedom fighters are playing? Just to give a slogan saying Salazar Murdabad and Nehru Zindabad one does not qualify to become a freedom fighter and to earn Tamrapatra and Pension.
Tamra Patras of some freedom fighters give a shade of robberies and crimes they committed against innocent Goans during Portuguese era. Many of the Goan freedom fighters involved in freedom movement only to drive Goan Christians out of Goa as if Goan Christians are less Indians and other Goans are more Indian. Goan Christians are as Indians as any other Goan and nobody can belittle the contribution of Goan Christians towards Goa’s freedom movement.
When whole of India is burning now with the flame of Anna Hazare fire for his campaign on corruption, what role our Goan freedom fighters are playing collectively? Are they devising ways and means to desecrate Fontainhas again? Are they thinking to stop Portuguese ship anchoring at Mormugao again? It is a pity that some of the Goan freedom fighters are irresponsible and useless citizens of Goa doing things which are irrelevant thereby damaging the good image of genuine freedom fighters.
My friends freedom fighters! many of you are cowards and rogues and criminals. During Portuguese time in the name of freedom fighting many of you have committed worst of robberies and crimes against innocent Goans. There are so many stories in North Goa side of the crimes committed by the freedom fighters. They had no marbles to kill and destroy Portuguese but only the innocent Goans. Portuguese was ousted from Goa not by the Goan freedom fighters but by the Indian Millitary.
Portuguse people were not the enemies of Goa but Portuguese colonialism. If Goa remained backward and Goans lacked so many facilities it was not because of the Portuguese but because of our own Goans who prevented Portuguese from doing good for our own Goa and Goans. Portuguese Governador was assisted in the administration of Goa by a team of 12 nominated Goan MLA's, almost all of them were of high class and high caste. It was this team that failed to do its duty properly towards the development of Goa and Goans. Many times with silly and cunning excuses they prevented Governador from doing good for Goa and common Goans.
The real enemies of Goa during the Portuguese time were not the Portuguese but the Goan Brahmins and Goan Bhattkars – Hindus and Christians - who suppressed the masses comprising Christians, Hindus and Muslims.
Portuguese colonialism was bad and it had to end but it ended not thru the power of Goan freedom fighters. Many of the Goan freedom fighters are cowards for this reason they are silent now when they should raise their voice in unison in support of Anna Hazare' s anti-corruption movement. Goa is suffering today because of the silence of Goan freedom fighters on the corruption that is going on in Goa.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
