Yesterday, 28th
of this month I attended as one of the invitees, the GOA NETTERS MEET held at
Fundacao Oriente, Panjim, at 11.00 AM.
The meet was attended by members of the Goa Net from different parts of
the world who are currently in Goa. They
discussed many topics of their choice regarding Goa. Fred Noronha conducted the meet on behalf of
Goa Net and he took lot of interest to co-ordinate with the members. When this writer’s turn came to speak he
spoke thus, referring to one of the female members from Bandodcar family who
preferred to speak in Konkani: “Speaking on the importance of one’s mother
tongue, Rabindranath Tagore said – One can reach into the sea of eternal
understanding only thru one’s own mother tongue - I am a Konkani lover, Konkani writer and
Konkani speaker. I too prefer to speak
in Konkani but since some of the members may not be at ease for not being good in Konkani, I will speak with
the mixture of Konkani and English.
I come from the village
in Goa that gave birth to one of the greatest men of this planet, Abade Faria
and also gave birth to the great revolutionaries
not only of Goa and of India but also of Asia who were the first people who fought
for their Freedom for their land from
the colonialists. It is these people from Candolim Pintos Vaddo from where I
come who showed the path for others too to fight for their freedom. The Roman
Catholic Priests were the leading figures in this revolution who later on when
caught by the Portuguese government were tortured, hanged and killed. Abade Faria being one of the members of this
group went to Portugal before he was caught but soon from Portugal he fled to
France where he told this news of Pintos Revolution and its failure to the French Revolutionaries. Then after French Revolution was born.
I spoke then about my
past in Goa, superb sporting activities and how I was involved in conducting operation against GRD Tata at Sinquerim to force
him to employ locals and Goans at the first 5 Star Hotel of Goa, the Taj. This was the first revolt of Goans in Goa
against multinational after the invasion of Goa by the Bharat Serkar.
One of the attendees entertain the gathering
Then I said that being
the first among Goans, Goa Net should have been the mighty powerhouse by now
but due to faulty policy of its Admin to entrust the task of moderating to a biased
moderator, many Goans lost the taste of Goa Net. Because of this Goa Net has lost its earlier
importance. In fact I am searching for this moderator in the city with a Lighted
Lantern in my hand during the day time when the sun is directly overheard, like
that Greek Philosopher Diogenes.
Then I said how I sowed
the seed of Konkani movement in Kuwait and how we from Kuwait helped develop
Konkani movement culminating in the recognition of Konkani thus facilitating
the granting of Statehood on Goa. While
we from Kuwait were supporting Konkani movement in Goa, worldwide Goa Netters were
looking at us instead of their contribution which was very imperative at that time.
Finally I concluded
saying not to sell their old houses to any Altu Faltu, not even your “Kombiancho
Gudd” and for God sake not to gift any of your properties to the Church taking
into consideration the policy of the Church to sell the gifted properties to
our enemies, example Sale of Vanxim land by the Goa Church to the builder for unchristian
purpose.
