ABHOR SYCOPHANCY
By Dr. Francisco C Colaco
I am amazed at the new-found pitch in certain sections of the Goan media. A pitch that amounts to nothing short of BJP sycophancy -- just because the party is now in power. We read, “No party should contest against BJP in Cortalim by polls”. The reasons given sound so unconvincing that they would probably make that born fighter, late Matanhy Saldanha cringe in his grave! To say that there should be no opponent, or a contest, in Cortalim is to insult Matanhy’s very memory. Matanhy was such a crusader, such a brave fighter, such an intrepid man that would not want anyone to win elections without a fight.
The Latin proverb goes “De mortuis nihil nisi bonum”. Yet Matanhy himself often made questionable decisions. Most of us therefore waited with baited breath to see how his performance would unfold during his present innings. But sadly, he left this world when so many had pinned their hopes on this good man. The same section of the media also attempts to give Manohar Parrikar a rock star status. Such flattery leads to a lot of damage to those whom we are putting on a false pedestal, even when we resort to such cheap praise with the best of intentions.
A TRAGIC DEATH
Mr. Matanhy Saldanha (64) died of a massive heart attack early Wednesday, March 21 morning. He complained of chest pain around 2 am and was rushed to a hospital immediately by family members. Dr Oscar Rebello who attended on him said that the heart attack was massive and in spite of best efforts with the help of other colleagues, Matanhy could not be saved. The end came around 3-30 am.
Were there any premonitory signs? Apparently not. He had reportedly been given a thorough check- up by his physician and personal friend Dr. Marconi Correia only five days earlier, without any clues pointing to an impending heart attack. It is known that 20 % of heart attacks occur in patients who have been examined by their physicians in the preceding one month without a clue as to what was to happen. This highlights the fact that medical methods of predicting a heart attack to date are not foolproof.
We Indians have to be aware of our proneness to heart attacks. What is more, cardiac attacks occur among us Indians at a younger age and are more severe. If we are to stall the epidemic, we must shun smoking, control blood pressure, cholesterol and stress. Being Indians, we are also more vulnerable to paunch obesity and diabetes than other nationals. These two are the primary triggers to heart attacks. We must hence exercise regularly and eat prudent diet consisting of green leafy vegetables, fruits and fibre-rich cereals like ragi, bajra and oats.
Matanhy’s shocking death has sent many flocking to their physicians -- to know whether their symptoms could be due to a heart attack. We as physicians have as far as possible the duty to discover early warning signs. But we should allay the fear and reassure those who are low risk patients, lest we create a bunch of cardiac neurotics.
IS THE “CHURCH” ILL?
Churchill probably never said that the Church is ill. He only blamed “padris” for the Alemao grand defeat. And it is true that Padris were responsible in great measure for the Alemao debacle. From the pulpits as well as in private conversations they urged for a change of guard. When I talked to some padris they were of the view that even if the BJP is a perceived communal party, the Congress had ushered complete destruction of Goa and nothing would be left for Goans in a few years if they came back. There were of course other causes too for Churchill’s defeat but then his words of warning, “I
hope the Padris get what they want from the BJP” may turn to be prophetic one day when BJP bares its mask.
HOLY WEEK
We are in the Lenten season which offers us once again an opportunity to reflect upon the very heart of Christian life: charity. This is a favourable time to renew our journey of faith, both as individuals and as a community, with the help of the word of God and the sacraments. This journey is one marked by prayer and sharing, silence and fasting, in anticipation of the joy of Easter.
A lot of developments have taken place in the political scenario in the last few days. Our ardent plea to God ought to be the maintainace of communal harmony and brotherhood between various religions in the time to come in our beloved Goa.
(This article appeared in the Gomantak Times dated April 5th 2012)
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