Was 19thDecember 1961 a blessing for Goans or a curse? By all means, Portuguez Raj from Goa should have been ended, I did not want the Portugues to rule over me and my Goa but neither I did want Delhi Portuguez to rule over me and over Goa. According to my information, a few Goan Freedom Fighters after India got independence from the British, went to meet Mahatma Gandhi seeking his help to liberate Goa from the Portuguese colonialism. Hearing their pleas, Gandhiji answered to them thus: “You want freedom for Goa from Portugues? Today you are ruled by the Portuguese but once Portugues are ousted from Goa I am afraid you may be ruled by the Delhi Portuguez”. How prophetic were these words of Mahatmah Gandhi! What are we facing in Goa today? We are treated as slaves of Delhi that is remote controlling Goa for its benefit. From Nehru’s time Delhi wanted to liquidate the existence of Goa and precisely because of this Nehru’s Congress agreed for having Opinion Poll to decide the fate of Goa with the hope that Goa will be merged with Maharastra and thus the identity of Goa will get liquidated. But Goans have shown their real colours by voting against the merger and in this voting pattern Goan Christians played a heroic role. Kudos to Goan Christians for always supporting Goan causes.
Though there is a large number of Christians in India in the South as well as in the north yet Goan Christians are looked upon by the Indian politicians with suspicion as if they are anti-national. Even in Goa in some segments of Goan community, Christians are considered as less Indian while they are more Indians. In Goa from day one on 19th December 1961, Christians are considered as pro-Portugues but in reality during the Portuguese rule in Goa none of the top businessmen were from Christian community. In commerce and Industrial fields Christians have never enjoyed preferential treatment, Portuguez government treated Goan Christians as ornamental pieces only for decoration purpose. Even in the job sectors, Christians lagged far behind for this reason they migrated to Africa and elsewhere for better dividends.
Because of the hatred against Goan Christians some non-Christians started bashing Christians immediately after the ouster of Portuguese from Goa. They thought Indian Raj means only a Hindu Raj and they equated the word Hind to Hindus without knowing how the word Hind was originated. When Indian capture of Goa became a reality, one Dhobi Esso by name from Orda in my village Candolim started shouting loudly near the Church saying “Tumkam Christavank atam ami martelet, tumcheo Igorjo ami moddtelet, tumkam ami atam kobar kortolet, Jai Hind, Jai Maharaj, Jai Swaraj”. He acted like this because he was an ignorant man. On 19th evening in my village some fanatic Hindus like Balkrishnan started firing crackers at the Tinto especially in front of the Christians and their houses threthening them with dire consequences. One Shamba Xet started abusing St. Francis Xavier and mocking Him with these words “Khuim assa re atam tumcho St. Francis Xavier, daddat taka porot Portugalak” as if St. Francis Xavier was from Portugal. He was the Spanish missionary in Goa but foolish Shamba Xeth was an ignorant. Somebody asked tauntingly: “khuim gelo re tumcho Forsulo” referring to St. Francis Xavier.
On that night at about 8.00 PM some fanatics came to the House of a prominent Candolim doctor, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro and fired innumerable gun shots at his door to shoot him but God saved him. In Arpora these fanatics came with Guns and Revolvers to shoot Fr. Mendonca the Principal of St. Joseph High School but before any untoward incident could happen, the alert driver of Fr. Mendonca from back side drove Fr. Mendonca to Bastora where he took shelter there till calm prevailed. These fanatics found only the Christians to target their communal agenda dubbing the Christians as Pro-Portugues.
The contribution of Goan Christians in the freedom movement for Goa was immense and cannot be compeered with any other Goan community. The first persons in India and even in the sub-continent to fight for freedom for Goa from colonial rulers were Goan Christians and that too they were Goan Priests from Candolim, Pintos Vaddo, coming from the aristocratic Pinto family. It was also from the same locality another Christian freedom fighter the world renown Hypnotist Abade Faria came, he got unique distinction to guide the French revolutionaries when he left Goa and went to Portugal and from there to France. Then after, it was yet another Christian doctor, Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes a parliamentarian in Portuguese Parliament who raised his voice for the freedom of Goa.
When Christians have done so much for Goa then why they are treated shabbily in Goa? The communal forces in Goa are wielding strong power and thru this power these forces are preventing Christians from moving ahead. There is a silent genocide on Christians in Goa since 19th December 1961 and the late Dayananda Bandodcar was the first Goan leader to perpetrate this silent genocide followed by most of the CM’s of Goa. We never thought after the ouster of Portuguese from Goa such a communal politics will happen in Goa. It is a tragedy that because of this communal politics the soul of Goa is disappearing from Goa.
In view of what I wrote above, can I ask this question: “Was 19th December 1961 a blessing or a curse?”
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.Tel: 7507394349.