OPEN LETTER TO GULF GOAN RETURNEES.

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues.

While working so hard in the Gulf for number of years, many of us have played a magnificent role in the service of Goa in diverse fields to safeguard the interest of Goa and Goans. Though we were away from Goa yet we never disowned our birth place and our duty, we always supported Goan causes financially and otherwise as none among expatriate Goans did.

For Konkani cause we played a stellar role to support it financially and the contribution of Kuwait Goans in this field was second to none. If the Konkani movement attained success leading to the granting of Statehood for Goa, it was partly because of the movement started in Kuwait by Kuwait Goans in this direction in 1976.

The first major activity in this process was "Novem Goem" movement which was overwhelmingly supported financially by Kuwait Goans. In Novem Goem initiative the final push for Konkani movement was started.

In Konkani Porjecho Avaz movement Kuwait Goans donated so much monetarily which was very imperative then just as it was for Novem Goem. Besides, Kuwait Goans have helped so many other Konkani organisations, religious "gurus" to construct religious places, schools, hospitals, community halls etc. Our Goan friends in other parts of the Gulf also played their roles in supporting these activities.

Why we did so much for the cause of Goa? Because we loved, as we still do, our Goa and its wellbeing. When we did so much for Goa especially during the critical time when our financial support was very imperative, can we now in the forthcoming Parliamentary election sit idle and relax to allow Goa going into the wrong hands? We helped Goa without asking anything in return for our personal gains. Our help for Goan causes was based on ideological grounds.

As per available information, ex Goan Seamen after their retirement came under one banner and they are become a force to reckon with even declaring their unified support to a particular Party of their choice in the coming election. While they already took their decision what to do and whom to vote, we inspite of doing so much for Goa are still acting like indecisive Hamlet?

 

Since we took more interest in Goa, it is time for us now to think more over this topic and give our precious votes only to the Secular Candidates of true Secular Party and not to Communal Party that threatens the life of minorities. Minorities in India are living in fear, so also in Goa. This fear has to be removed by voting out Communal elements in the coming election. India belongs not to any particular party to play its Communal "Dadagiri" and if this Dadagiri is still existing then we have to snatch it by voting wisely only to a genuine Secular candidates of genuine Secular Party.

From my past long association with my ex colleagues in Kuwait and in other parts of the Gulf and tirelessly working to protect Goa and Goan causes, I have full confidence that they and their family members will do justice to their precious votes. As in the past we now have our obligation to protect the interest of Goa first by being upright without getting carried away by false propaganda of Communal elements.

A.Veronica Fernandes,
Ex Kuwait
Candolim, Goa. 

Tel:7507394349.

　

VOTE ONLY FOR SECULAR PARTY CANDIDATES.

The Parliamentary election will be held very soon and campaigning has been going on with full fury by all the candidates to woo the voters in their side. Tiatrists, Priests and Writers will be in a big demand now to canvass support from their respective Platforms for these politicians. Both the BJP and Congress parties are claiming to be secular and in the name of secularism they are trying to woo the voters towards their side. Both these parties made secularism as their main issue. BJP is using its Christian MLA's to market its Secularism especially in the South while all those voters who elected these Christian MLA's are watching silently instead of forcefully raising their voices against their Christian MLA's who were not elected on BJP symbol, for blindly supporting BJP.

MLA's like Avertano, Caitu and others were not elected by their respective voters on BJP platform and as such they have no right to support BJP at the Centre. Their voters must reprimand their MLA's for supporting BJP in the coming election and acting like Pimps of BJP by issuing statements as if they are the spokesmen of Chrisitians in Goa.

When they market secularism to get them votes I feel both the Congress and the BJP are lying to the people of Goa because the very name BJP makes me accept the fact that BJP is the most communal party in India having in its fold strong communal elements because of whom BJP by using communalism demolished Babri Masjid thereby hinting genuine Muslims never to trust BJP anymore. Besides, Gujarat massacre under the very nose of Narendra Modi create a very bad image of BJP’s secularism and surprisingly Modi is still adamant to be apologetic for this carnage of Muslims.

Secondly, by cancelling Good Friday holiday of Christians in Goa, BJP under Parrikar indicated the degree of hatred he is having in his store for Goan Christians even though all the Chrisitian MLA’s showing their allegiance to Parrikar may sing Hosanas in praise of Parrikar and BJP. They will sing these Hosanas as long as they get Lollipops for them from Parrikar. But they must know one thing that by supporting Parrikar they are strengthening Parrikar’s hands to turn him into a dictator who on one fine morning will surely show his true communal colours in the worst manner. There is a saying in Konkani "Mazor Imsan Soddchena" in the same manner BJP and Parrikar will never give up communalism because BJP is synonym with communalism. As per the available information, Parrikar was on forefront to demolish Babri Masjid along with other communal persons. Hence, this Parrikar will never change his stand on communalism.

Congress Party on the other hand is also a communal party and since it is so, under the hidden chicanery of Nehru it refused to give the Prime Ministership of united India to Jinnah with spontaneous decision because Jinnah was a Muslim. Incidentally, Jinnah was a grandson of a Hindu. Mahatma Gandhi was the only Hindu in the rank of Congress to be saddened over this communal factor of Congress while others silently enjoyed.

Attack on Golden Temple in Punjab to liquidate Bindranwale and his gang and thereby desecrate the sacredness of this Temple was a pure exercise in spreading communal hatred against Sikh community by Indira Gandhi’s Congress and worst still was the massacre of Sikhs in the aftermath of assassination of Indira Gandhi by Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress. This was the worst form of communal hatred created by Congress Party with the official backing.

The other two parties remaining in the fray in Goa besides independents are AAP and Su’uraj Party whose record of Secularism is good.

For the survival of India as one unit the factor of secularism is imperative. In view of this, all those Indians aspiring to strengthen the unity of India they should vote only for the genuine secular parties but never communal parties. Only the Secular party will give you the life security which is imperative for the minorities for their survival as full fledged Indians and human beings as well otherwise with the fear of Narendra Modi's communalism of the type of 2002 Gujarat massacre of Muslims, the minorities will develop as cowards in free India fearful of Narenda Modi's communal goons.

As it is there is already a move in India to convert minorities as slaves if not de jure but at least de facto and in Goa for Christians. Bandodcar's MGP tried to implement this policy openly but ultimately failed due to his sudden death. Now Parrikar's BJP is trying the same method to succeed where MGP has failed. For this reason Christians in Goa must be very alert of the danger Parrikar has posed for them.

Finally, by voting for communal parties we will not gain anything but by not voting them we will surely gain a lot that is a shaken Parrikar will be careful to confront the minorities. Parrikar like Bandodcar is anti- Christian and now is the correct time to put a brake on his move. There is nothing much at stake in this election because our two MP's will be like a drop in the Ocean where they will have no voice at all. And moreover, none among the contestants is showing any capability to tackle national issues, they all are good for local issues which are tackled at Goa level and not at Central level.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Goa.
Tel. 7507394349.

CHURCH IS RIGHT IN GUIDING PEOPLE IN POLITICS.

The recent tirade started by certain anti-secular elements in Goa against the Church for instructing the faithful not to support the communal parties in the coming election is condemnable and in fact I condemn it. Church is duty bound to advise and guide the faithful in a right direction as it did in the past not only in Goa but also in other parts of the world. When the then President of Philippines,  Ferdinand Marcos brought corruption in his country leading to immorality, under the leadership of Cardinal Sin of Philippines and with the approval of the then Pope, the entire Philippines revolted against the corrupt rule of Marcos and brought in a change of government there. 

The late Pope John Paul himself was instrumental in supporting the Solidarity movement of Lech Walesa in his homeland Poland and thru it the change in the government there.  Besides, there are so many instances where one can see the Church involvement in fighting against corrupt rule.

In the last general election for Goa Legislative Assembly, the Goa Church has vehemently opposed the corrupt rule existing then under the Congress government and asked the people especially the faithful not to vote for the corrupt candidates and corrupt parties. This resulted in the downfall of the ruling Congress Party and coming up of BJP even though BJP is a communal party. The Church stand then was very clear,  to fight against corruption just as it is now, to fight against communalism which is as bad as corruption, or it may be even worse.

Hence, it is imperative not only for the faithful as followers of the Church but even for others also to follow the right guidelines issued by the Church to reject the communal candidates who as per their party principles will destroy the harmonious fabric of our society.  

Since the  2002 Gujarat carnage of Muslims under the very nose of Modi, minorities in India are living in fear of Modi and since Parricar cancelled Good Friday holiday of Christians in Goa, the Christian community in Goa is also living in fear. Only the secular elements elected by the secular people will eradicate this fear. In view of this Goa Church is right in advising the people to elect the secular candidates.

A.Veronica Fernandes,

Candolim, Goa.

Tel: 7507394349.