Never to talk ill of
the dead, goes the Roman saying. My
friend at St. Xavier’s College Mapsa, ex-Minister Francis D’Souza and current MLA from Mapsa constituency was
totally exploited by the BJP led by Parrikar and after foot-balling him the way
they wanted, BJP dumped him into waste paper basket. It is sad to know how Francis failed to realize
the chicanery of Parrikar in particular and that of BJP is a big question
mark. Francis may say anything but BJP
and Parrikar used him as a mirror of Christian community in general and
Catholic community in particular. BJP used Francis only to woo and get the
goodwill of the Catholic community in Goa whom Francis treated as nothing.
He was my fan and
admirer at soccer ground especially at St. Xavier’s College and Mapsa Duler when
I was playing for Sesa Goa also on athletics field where I excelled in running. Though he was junior to me in College yet he
admired me. During my meeting him any
time he used to wish me very respectfully with his normal humility which he
derived from his father Mr. Pedro a popular and helpful figure at Camara
Municipal Bardez. It was because of his
father Pedro, Francis gained name and fame and good respect in Mapsa and other
villages in his constituency.
During my last 5 years
in Goa after returning from Kuwait, he invited me at his place along with my
wife for Dinner thrice during special occasions and he discussed with me many
of the subjects touching our younger days. He had very good memory which I came
to know when he cited some incidents created by me while playing soccer. It is surprising he still remembered the minute
incidents that occurred on the soccer ground 50 years back, one of them was at Duler ground
during our encounter between Sesa Goa and Vasco. We were leading by one goal to
nil, when the atmosphere inside and outside the ground was heavily charged, I
shoulder dashed the most robust forward of Goa, Bernado of Vasco who felled down on the
ground and rolled in agony for about 10 metres.
Referee did not point out any fault but spectators who were mainly the
supporters of Vasco entered the ground in thousands demanding
infringement. Nobody touched me though
at moment it looked they wanted to kill me.
When spectators refused to leave the ground, referee from Agacaim nicknamed
as “Cheuris” blew the long whistle and abandoned the game.
He did what he felt the
best by by getting embedded to BJP thinking they would stand by him when need
arises but true to their anti-Christian principle and pro-Hindu doctrine they
dropped Francis like a potato in the Kitchen. To please the Goa command and
Delhi high command of BJP he even went to so far as to call himself as
Christian Hindu. By totally surrendering himself to the doctrine of BJP he even
forgot to raise his voice against BJP’s anti-Christian decisions thus proving
to Christians that there is no one in BJP to support Christians. Mathanay
Saldanha also did the same. Similar tactic was used by the recently died George
Fernandes when he was a cabinet minister at the Centre. When our own elected
representatives refuse to side with us then who will support us? Then God play Ḥis role by implanting in our
bodies incurable illneses like Cancer or Kidney failure etc. that take control
of our bodies.
It is a pity that
within 48 hours 2 stalwarts of Goa disappeared like an Ether and how many more
are there in line? It is not good to
hurt the sentiments of the weak. Where
are all the then great stalwarts of MGP gone now? Fear God my brothers and sisters. There may not be any one on this planet to
check your moves but there is somebody above to put a full stop to all your moves. Respect God
– Fear God because as it is said in
Konkani “DEVACHEA MARANK AVAZ NA”.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
