Who is responsible for the current ugly happenings in Goa? Surely if not fully then at least partly the living Freedom Fighters of Goa for not doing enough after the ouster of Portuguese. Before elaborating my answer let me be frank in paying my highest respect for all those Freedom Fighters who were sincere in their mission for the betterment of Goa and Goans. That Portuguese rule in Goa had to come to an end is a sure fact otherwise I would also join the freedom struggle but after driving out the colonialists I will not sleep content with Pension and Tamrapatra. Instead I would mount more pressure on Indian government either to leave from Goan soil as it did in Bangladesh or to give us greater autonomy on the pattern of Macau or Pondichery at least, as assured by Nehru. But I would never keep silent on the re-colonisation process of Goa by the Bharatis who are now lording over every segment of our Goa.
By upsetting the demographic structure of Goa the Bharatis are deGonising Goa by creating more and more facilities for non-Goans to settle down permanently in Goa exactly the way Israel did in Palestine to dePalestine of Palestinians by inducting more and more third rate Jews from outside. This was the cunningness on the part of Israeli leaders to commit a silent genocide on original Palestinians in Palestine. India is also following the same method on Goa. The major portion of the Bharatis who are permanently settling down in Goa are from lower and mediocre segment for whom Goa is Eldorado. They get lot of facilities because they are bribed easily and to extort money and sex is easy from them. The facilities they get in Goa are like more than what Kuwaitis are getting in Kuwait.
What was the quality of our Freedom Fighters to think high for Goa and Goans? Some of them in the garb of Freedom Fighters robbed the innocent people and even killed them. In Siolim in late fifties who killed the local Regidor? Again in Siolim Soddiem who captured the house of Casador Manuel Xavier and robbed his both Guns? Who robbed the Banco Ultrmarino during the day time by showing Guns to the Bank employees? Who came to the Salgaocar’s home with Guns to demand money? Who were those who were robbing people near the Hilltop behind Parra Church? And who were Krimidores who cut the tongue of a “Poder” in Anjuna falsely accusing him to be an informer to the Portugese Police? While accusing many Freedom Fighters of committing cruel acts I salute the genuine ones. They have suffered so much from the hands of Agente Monteiros and sacrificed so much for the sake of Goa but are they happy that their goals are achieved?
Some of them are feeling sorry to see the Goa they dreamt is not realized. They openly show their regret but why not act to put pressure on government to bring changes in Goa of their choice? One of them was cursing present Goa and Goan rulers but none of them is coming forward to conduct at least a peaceful Dharna in Panjim to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to their grievances? I know they are not young now, I also know they are ageing but they can organize their movement peacefully. If nothing works then they must surrender their Tammrapatras and even Pensions because their goals are not achieved and as such it is wrong to receive rewards. Those who are regretting now to involve in freedom movement for Goa are not even ashamed to disclose their regret. They should have committed suicide, at least this will prove their sincerity.
A.Veronica Fernandes,