By reading my last
article on this topic, I am sure the readers have realized what betrayal India
committed against Goa by forcibly snatching Goa from us and converting it into
a Bharati property. And worst part of
this whole episode was, while signing the treaty of officially surrendering Goa
to India, an unelected representative of Portugal Mario Soares in his capacity
as Foreign Minister of Portugal sitting in the cosy premises in Delhi in 1974 officially
handed Goa over to Portugal as if Goa is a small piece of commodity. Mario Soares did not even consult the Goans
to take their views into consideration, as Portugal did in Macao before
surrendering it to China. Mario Soares
did the whole exercise of surrendering Goa officially to India as if Goa was
his father’s property. In this
surrendering treaty there was total cheating by Portugal and total betrayal of
Goans by the Portuguese government of that time.
In view of this, I feel
the current government of Portugal should be made aware of the blunder Portugal
did in 1974 for Goa and Goans. In this
direction, the Goa lover Goans settled in Portugal must join together and
submit a memorandum to Portuguese government in Lisbon detailing our agony over
what wrong Portugal did to Goa and Goans with regards to 1974 treaty and
thereby ask the Portuguese government to use its good offices with India to
amend the said treaty to give more rights to Goans in Goa. Portugal is maintaining good relationship
with India and hence Portugal can do something for Goans in Goa to protect
their rights. Under Indian sovereignty,
India is swallowing Goa. Under India, indigenous
Goans are getting into extinction. Under
Indian supremacy, Goa is getting degoanised thereby losing its culture and
tradition. Under India, Goa is losing
its Goan soul.
There are many Goans
settled in Portugal and they have great love for their beloved Goa. Very
shortly the election in Portugal will be held and the new president will be
elected and most probably the candidate for the presidency will be a Goan
origin Portuguese from Margao. These
Goans must make this as one of the election issues to put pressure on the next
president to think again of Goa and the woes Goans face under India because
Portugal gave Goa to India on silver platter.
Likewise, Goa lover
Goans spread in other parts of the globe however small in number they may be, must
submit a memorandum to Portuguese government thru the Portuguese Embassies in
their respective countries.
In Goa there is a big
number of Goans who think in a similar manner and they must submit a memorandum to
Portuguese Consulate in Panjim to convey their grievances to Portuguese
government in Lisbon. In this way we
must keep our issue alive and moving before it is totally forgotten.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel: 7507394349.
