Seen in the middle with beard is A. Veronica on Hunger Strike.
Since my coming to Kuwait for employment over three and half decades back, I organised and initiated lot of movements in Kuwait for the cause of Goa and Goans. One of these movements was Konkani movement including Novem Goem Daily Newspaper. This was my first movement in Kuwait started in 1976 soon after my coming to Kuwait. The most important among all the movements was Novem Goem. Among all these movements I found Novem Goem movement a very difficult to do because Konkani during those days was wrongly considered as the language of low category people by third grade uneducated Kuwait Goans.
Most of the Goans having such a low opinion of Konkani were coming from hoi-polloi category who were either sons and daughters of Buttlers or grand sons and grand daughter or decedents of illiterate domestics. Such Goans cannot attain intellectual capacity to rise to upper level intellectually; their minds are surrounded by Kitchen mentality befitting their background.
However, because of my dynamism, vigorous campaigning in support of Konkani thru English and Konkani media, wisdom, knowledge of the subject, sincerity for the cause and excellent character, I changed this view ingrained into the blood of most of the Kuwait Goans and I succeeded in proceeding further.
Besides, I with the support of my colleagues, managed to put a strong base for Konkani amongst Kuwait Goans. This base is enough for the new generation of Goans coming to Kuwait to carry forward Konkani activities.
In my drive for the promotion of Konkani movement I received strong support of my friends, colleagues and other supporters. Recognition of Konkani by the authorities concerned was the great step that facilitated granting of separate Statehood for Goa. The contribution of Kuwait Goans in the promotion of Konkani movement was a great step in the right direction and nobody can deny this fact.
In order to further support Konkani movement, in Eighties I went to Goa and participated in the public meetings and public Rallies organised by KPA at Panaji Goa. No doubt I was on vacation in Goa but still I took active part in this movement throughout my stay in Goa during that short period.
While participating in these Meetings and Rallies I received Lathis also of Rane’s Policemen who were preventing us from doing our movement. Rane the then Chief Minister of Goa was a strong opponent of Konkani and if it was not for Rajiv Gandhi, Rane would never move an inch forward in support of Konkani and Statehood.
During that particular period 3 Konkani supporters conducted 5 days of Hunger Strike at Azad Maidan, Panjim. These 3 men were Dilip Borkar, Eng. Datta Naik and Dioniz Diniz. When I was asked by them whether I too will join them, I willingly joined them on the third day for a daylong fast.as shown in the picture above. This was my greatest moment in my life for doing Hunger Strike for the cause of Konkani.
When the above photo appeared in the local English Daily, the next day very many Kuwaitkars vacationing in Goa came to meet me at Azad Maidan but none opted to be by my side. On the contrary a few of them put me in the fools category for doing foolish thing by coming from Kuwait.
To do these activities and participate in this movement was the great opportunity for me and while pondering over this I feel I did the right thing.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.