Because of the personal gains, many like Parrikar are issuing statements saying when Mopa becomes operational, Dabolim will also remain functional as usual. For me this statement is a pure lie because nobody has authority to issue such statements, This statement is to fool the people of Goa.
In India there is not a single leader on whom we can rely and to whom we can trust. In India all the Indian leaders are selfish and liars. Every Indian leader is corrupt. We Goans were not like this, we Goans got polluted with Indian dirty habits only when India annexed Goa and passed this contagious desease of corruption on to us. The end result of this desease on us is so strong that our corrupt Goan leaders and even ordinary Goans can easily out beat any genius in corruption from any part of India.. The highest authority of India, the then Premier of India, the late Jawaharlal Nehru, betrayed Goans with a Judas Kiss by not fulfilling his word when he himself had assured Goans that the separate individual identity of Goa will be maintained. And finally Nehru proved to be a liar.
Following the invasion Goa by Bharat, somewhere in late 1962 Nehru visited Goa and on one fine late afternoon visited Calangute Beach. Since this visit was announced earlier, to see him there from close angle, innumerable people from Calangute, Candolim and other surrounding villages thronged at Calangute Beach and being a Sunday the crowd was more. There was only one hotel there known as Caravela touching the beach. His simple motorcade with a few security personnel was a pleasure to see. With smiling face he came out of his car and waved to the enthusiastic crowd waiting to see him. Seeing his facial appearance one could easily read his forehead which said he was overwhelmed to cast his glance on the Queen of Beaches that is Calangute Beach with silver sand.
After halting for a few moments and casting his glance on Hotel Caravella, he moved down to the Beach and straight went to the Beach up to the watery waves standing there and admiring the greatness of this beautiful Beach. Then after a few minutes he turned back and waved to the crowd gathered there, all Goans and genuine Goans who were wearing very decent dresses. In that crowd there was not a single Lungiwala nor Zopatpatiwala as it was in other parts of India. Then speaking a few words he said "Portuguese stayed in Goa for 450 years and during this lengthy period Portuguese did not do any good to Goans except the Portuguse made you Portuguese. You Goan people got different and decent characteristics and your life style is also totally different which has to be maintained by keeping Goa’s unique identity intact.
Four years later Nehru died and with him his promise was also interred with his bones. This is the quality of Indian leaders. If Nehru was true to his promise he would have granted Special Status for Goa immediately following the ouster of Portuguese from Goa but he did not want to do this since he was intentionally fooling Goans and our Goan leaders were not smart enough to put pressure on Nehru to fulfil his promise. And to our bad luck suddenly from nowhere a traitor in the frame of Dayananda Bandodkar came on to the scene and demanded to kill Goan identity by merging Goa with Maharastra. For this purpose with the backing of corrupt Maharastrian leaders Bandodcar formed a political party known as Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party. This party splitted Goa and Goan interest. The greatest enemy of Goa was Dayananda Bandodkar who tried to liquidate Goa from the Map by merging Goa with Maharastra. The greatest enemy of Goa was Bandodkar, his MG Party and all who supported MGP. This was the big tragedy of Goa which told us that our enemy was within ourselves only.
Now some Goan and Delhi leaders are wooing Goans to accept Mopa. I feel we genuine Goa lover Goans must never trust any Indian leader. They are ignorant, liars and crooks. The efforts to put pressure on Goa government to scrap Mopa Airport must be increased. By shouting we may get nothing but by keeping silent will we get anything? Hence all Goans must stand behind Fr. Eremit to face the challenge posed by Parrikar and his colleagues.
Parrikar must know that in the last election his BJP party came to power not because Goans loved Parrikar and BJP but Goans hated Congress Party. For this reason top heavyweights in Gongress Party lost the elelction. Nowhere in BJP Manifesto gave a single clue that Mopa will be built. Their Manifesto remained totally silent on Mopa and because Mopa was not in their Manifesto, Goans voted BJP to power. Hence BJP has robbed the trust of its voters. Parrikar and his BJP has to pay the price for this "Chori" in the coming Parliamentary election and also in the next Goan election.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.