Many of our Goans holder of
foreign Passports and cozily settled down in the West are questioning me, saying
“why I am not leading a movement in support of the independence of Goa from the
illegal occupation by India”?
Their contention is this that since I spearheaded
the movement in Goa to create awareness in India for the liberation of Kuwait, so, why I cannot do the
movement for getting independence for Goa?”
Their second contention is this that since from Kuwait I struggled to
get Statehood for Goa, hence, why can’t I do similarly for
independence for Goa?
Through this forum, I counter
question them by asking, “Why can’t they do the same by being abroad?” Somebody is telling me that Veronica you are
a coward and because you are so you are not touching this topic.
In fact I will
be the happiest person if Goa is independent nation because by being a part of
Bharat, Goa is losing its identity and characteristics existing prior to
December 1961. I feel hurt to see the difference between Goa then and Goa now
and also Goans then and Goans now under the command of Bharat.
In half a century of Bharati domination Goa
lost 50% of its pristine attributes and by the time Goa completes a century
under Bharati rule, Goa will be totally submerged into Bharati attributes,
namely: culturally, socially,
linguistically, demographically, physically and in all other aspects. Then Goa
will lose its total identity and become like any other part of India with all
corrupt Bharati attributes.
If it was not for our campaign
and our financial support from Kuwait Goan community, Konkani movement would
never gained the push that it did gained. For the success of Konkani movement in Goa, Gulf Goans in general and Kuwait Goans in particular played a stellar role while our
brothers in the West remained silent observers without contributing anything.
When Konkani got success by being official language of Goa then only Goa was
conferred with Statehood. At least the
Soul of Goa was saved by getting separate Statehood thereby permanently
eradicating the fear of Goa’s merger with Marathi Maharastra.
Otherwise from
the ongoing trend in Goa the current Goan politicians for a price would sell
Goa to Maharastra by even surpassing Bandodkar’s strategy of merging Goa with
Maharastra.
What Bandodkar and his MGP
could not attain the current money greedy corrupt Goan politicians would do for
a price. They would not mind selling Goa
to Maharastra; some of the Goan politicians are known even to sell their
wives and daughters for money and political power. Some of the current Goan politicians
belonging to some of the political parties are of this dirty character.
It must be noted carefully that
Veronica was not the only architect of the success of Goa-Kuwait Solidarity
movement in Goa in support of the liberation of Kuwait. In this successful movement Caetano Joao from
Merces, Manuel Fernandes from St. Cruz, Sheih Agnelo from Agacaim, Roland
Martins from Mapusa and many others patriotic to this cause played a stellar
role, no doubt Veronica initiated this movement but the entire success of it
cannot be attributed to Veronica alone though Veronica played a majestic role
in this movement as none played.
Thru this movement Kuwait Goans did not physically liberate Kuwait from the illegal
occupation by Iraq but surely created a strong awakening in favour of the
liberation for Kuwait thereby bringing heavy pressure on Indian government to
toe its line in support of Kuwait’s liberation since in the beginning India’s
stand on this issue was Hamletic.
Similarly Veronica was not the
only person for the success of Konkani movement in Kuwait starting from
"Novem Goem" movement. Besides Veronica, Alexander Fernandes and A.B. Fernandes both
from Colva Salcette played stellar role to attain success for Novem Goem
movement. Additionally Avertano Furtado,
local Tiatrists and other Goans too played their part very well for the success
of Novem Goem movement in particular and Konkani movement in general.
Many of those who played stellar role in the
promotion of Konkani movement from Kuwait are living a retired life in Goa but
nobody on forefront in running the Konkani movement in Goa remembers these ex
Kuwaitkars. To locate them in Goa you
need not need a Binocular, they should not be treated as forgotten heroes of
Konkani movement in Kuwit. Even the efforts of the Dogs of Konkani promoters in
Goa are highlighted in Goa by the Goa based Konkani associations but of none
from Kuwait in particular and Gulf in general for promoting the cause of
Konkani from Kuwait in particular and from the Gulf in general.
Coming back to those Goenkars
holding foreign passports and settled down in the West, many of them will remain
only talking Goans, doing nothing concrete for Goa. Most of them have even sold
their ancestral houses and properties to non-Goans in Goa leaving no traces of
their Goanness and on top of it how they gather courage to talk of their
affiliation to Goa? Some of them will pen down
their majestic ideas on internet because its access is free of charge.
At least we thru our movements from Kuwait saved
Goan “Kaxtti” to protect our private parts otherwise Marathivadis from
Maharastra would bare our Marbles even in Ratnagiri and Malwan.
Recently there was a huge
gathering in UK for one Goan festival where everyone was nostalgic of Goa by
depicting Goa. But what have they done
for Goa to protect their roots in Goa? How many of them bade final adieu to Goa by
disposing of their ancestral houses and properties? Will they and their children
return to their roots?
With their money
power they should purchase Goan land and properties, construct hotel and small
scale industries. At least Kuwait Goans joined together and by
pulling their financial resources started hotel industry in Goa.
Very shortly there will be Goa Day marked
around the expatriates Goan arena. What
will be its purpose? To dance and eat
Goan Sorpotel and depict Ballroom Dance as Goan culture? Or to do Goan awakening to protect Goa and Goan interest in
Goa? The promoters of Goa Day will do
nothing worthwhile for Goa and Goans in Goa as in the past they have done
nothing. I have no hope in West settled Goans with foreign passports to do
anything better for Goa.
Those who are questioning me by
remaining in the West with foreign passports, I advise them to form a group,
come under one banner to fight for justice for Goa from the illegal annexation
of Goa by Bharat and raise this issue forcefully in the West. Give a memorandum to the UN because many of
you are closer to the location of the UN.
Let there be a noise and debates that side because that side is more
important to make Goan voice more audible. Making noise in the West will give
better dividends.
Even Francis Luis Gomes about 200
years back made noise for the cause of Goa by campaigning in the West including
in France and it created good dividends. Let the world know the genuine grievances of
Goans. It is easy for West settled Goans holding foreign passports to raise this issue than for Goans in Goa or
in the Gulf holding Indian Passports.
Can any west settled Goan come
forward for this job? Sermonising me and
others will not help. What we did for Goan causes from Kuwait in particular and
from other Gulf countries is unique and unforgettable even though Goa based
Konkani leaders pretend to be ignorant of this fact.
When we organized Rallies in Panjim for the
cause of Kuwait, none of the Konkani leaders and promoters supported us openly
by joining in our rallies when we from Kuwait so much helped the Konkani
movement in Goa. They failed to support us when we needed it. When we laughed
they too laughed with us but when we cried they still went on laughing only oblivious of our tragedy. It is a sign of ingratitude. Will such people
appreciate the wonderful job done by Kuwait Goans for the cause of Konkani?
Never.
A. Veronica
Fernandes,
Kuwait.
