Formation of Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party is the other factor that gave a further push for the “SONTENAS” of Goa. MGP was formed to merge Goa with Maharastra with the main intention of liquidating Christianity and Christians from Goa. MGP supporters and promoters dubbed Goan Christians as pro-Portuguese when history proved otherwise. Dayananda Bandodkar was anti-Christian and to punish Goan Christians he worked for the liquidation or marginalisation of Goan Christians in Goa by merging Goa with Maharastra and imposing Marathi as official language of Goa thereby introducing Marathi culture in Goa. Even in the Goa Legislative Assembly MGP under his leadership passed a resolution to make Marathi as an official language of Goa inspite of the stiff resistance from the powerful opposition benches of UG.
It was a pity that in the first Goa Legislative Assembly Election UG under Dr. Jack Sequeira failed to get the majority. If UG then had to form the government under the leadership of Dr. Sequeira Goa would see glorious days for all Goans without partiality based on Caste and Creed. UG then under its umbrella had very competent and patriotic to Goan causes MLA’s and because of these attributes in them they kept Bandodkar and his MGP’s anti-Goan activities on check.
The great and gigantic stalwarts of UG during that time as MLA’s such as Dr. Jack Sequeira, Orlando Lobo Sequeira, Sarmalkar, Pimenta, Furtado, J.M. D’Souza and others would rule Goa extremely well in a true secular manner and to the satisfaction of all Goans because they were pro-Goa and pro-Goans unlike MGP’s biased MLA’s. Formation of MGP government under the communal and illiterate Dayananda Bandodkar following the first general election brought real “MALDISAUM” on Goa and Goans as a whole.
Bandodkar and his MGP ruled Goa with partiality. MGP government showed total bias against Christians and even government jobs were given more to Hindus. The Hindus were shown preferential treatment as if they are more Goans and others are less. This MGP government created a very bad feeling among Christians making them to believe that they are pro-Portuguese and anti-Indian. MGP’s “dadageri” against Christians made them to admit that they are second class citizens.
Worst part of this whole scenario was the total silence on this of the Church under Bishop Rebello and also of gigantic Christian Freedom Fighters. They failed in totality to protect the interest of Goan Christians when they had strong evidence that Christians have worked wonders for the cause of Goa since time immemorial. They failed to say openly and loudly that their fight against Portuguese colonialism was far greater than the fight of Hindus many of whom joined freedom movement to make Goa a “Hindu Raj”, a Theocratic State. They failed miserably to say loudly that the Goan Christians are as equal to any other Goan citizen as far as their patriotism is concerned towards Goa.
By keeping their silence on the humiliation MGP showered on Christians, directly or indirectly, they gave psychological booster to MGP followers to admit that they are more Indians and Christians are less Indians. Our Church leaders acted like “PONCH LEADERS”. If Christians are backward in Goa in many aspects it is only because of the weakness of our Church leaders to guide Christians properly in the right direction.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
