Yesterday, 28thof this month I attended as one of the invitees, the GOA NETTERS MEET held at Fundacao Oriente, Panjim, at 11.00 AM. The meet was attended by members of the Goa Net from different parts of the world who are currently in Goa. They discussed many topics of their choice regarding Goa. Fred Noronha conducted the meet on behalf of Goa Net and he took lot of interest to co-ordinate with the members. When this writer’s turn came to speak he spoke thus, referring to one of the female members from Bandodcar family who preferred to speak in Konkani: “Speaking on the importance of one’s mother tongue, Rabindranath Tagore said – One can reach into the sea of eternal understanding only thru one’s own mother tongue - I am a Konkani lover, Konkani writer and Konkani speaker. I too prefer to speak in Konkani but since some of the members may not be at ease for not being good in Konkani, I will speak with the mixture of Konkani and English.
I come from the village in Goa that gave birth to one of the greatest men of this planet, Abade Faria and also gave birth to the great revolutionaries not only of Goa and of India but also of Asia who were the first people who fought for their Freedom for their land from the colonialists. It is these people from Candolim Pintos Vaddo from where I come who showed the path for others too to fight for their freedom. The Roman Catholic Priests were the leading figures in this revolution who later on when caught by the Portuguese government were tortured, hanged and killed. Abade Faria being one of the members of this group went to Portugal before he was caught but soon from Portugal he fled to France where he told this news of Pintos Revolution and its failure to the French Revolutionaries. Then after French Revolution was born.
I spoke then about my past in Goa, superb sporting activities and how I was involved in conducting operation against GRD Tata at Sinquerim to force him to employ locals and Goans at the first 5 Star Hotel of Goa, the Taj. This was the first revolt of Goans in Goa against multinational after the invasion of Goa by the Bharat Serkar.
One of the attendees entertain the gathering
Then I said that being the first among Goans, Goa Net should have been the mighty powerhouse by now but due to faulty policy of its Admin to entrust the task of moderating to a biased moderator, many Goans lost the taste of Goa Net. Because of this Goa Net has lost its earlier importance. In fact I am searching for this moderator in the city with a Lighted Lantern in my hand during the day time when the sun is directly overheard, like that Greek Philosopher Diogenes.
Then I said how I sowed the seed of Konkani movement in Kuwait and how we from Kuwait helped develop Konkani movement culminating in the recognition of Konkani thus facilitating the granting of Statehood on Goa. While we from Kuwait were supporting Konkani movement in Goa, worldwide Goa Netters were looking at us instead of their contribution which was very imperative at that time.
Finally I concluded saying not to sell their old houses to any Altu Faltu, not even your “Kombiancho Gudd” and for God sake not to gift any of your properties to the Church taking into consideration the policy of the Church to sell the gifted properties to our enemies, example Sale of Vanxim land by the Goa Church to the builder for unchristian purpose.