Are Goenkars Cockroaches or houseflies?
On Mahatma Gandhi’s 147th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the inauguration ceremony of the modern complex “Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra” at New Delhi, boldly declared, among other things:
“India has never attacked any country nor COVETED any territory…”
Really?!
Another P.M.of India, another time used almost the same words.
1. On 21st August 1955, at the U.P.Congress Committee Meeting at Sitapur ex-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, categorically stated:
“It is not that we COVET Goa.
That little bit of territory makes no difference to this great country”
2. On 26th July 1955, at the Lok Sabha P.M. Jawaharlal Nehru said:
“We have made it perfectly clear and we have based our policy on this; that we shall use force only in self-defense, that we shall not provoke a war or start a war or adopt any aggressive tactics in regard to a war”.
3. On 15th August, from the Red Fort, Day of Independence, P.M. Jawaharlal Nehru declared:
“India is determined not to use force”.
4. On September 1955, at Rajya Sabha P.M. Jawaharlal Nehru emphasised:
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“ I want to remove the idea from any person’s mind, that we are out to coerce, or compel Goan people to come into the Indian Union”.
And yet, and yet…
the whole world knows how Goa and Goans were brazenly betrayed, on every count, by the very same P.M. Jawaharlal Nehru, who had projected himself as the ‘Dove of Peace” of and for the world. December 19, 1961 marks the date that ushered the period of tragic history of Goans and Goa.
Mr. Shrikant Yeshwant Ramani published a volumnious, painstakingly researched work (Second Editor-2012) titled:” Operation Vijay. The Ultimate Solution” The publication features the minutest details of the meticulous preparations, the “Operation” itself and post it.
In this publication Mr. Ramani puts forth the arguments of the Government of India, notwithstanding P.M Jawaharlal Nehru's promises, utterances and grandstanding, that proved to be sanctimonious, that Goa 'had to be conquored, because India could not accept a “colony” of a Foreign Power on its soil.
Mr. Shrikant Yeshwant Ramani’s book quotes “Indian Intelligence Report” about the Portuguese Forces in Goa viz, “One Infantry Batallion of about 2200 Troops… that were generally… immature and inadequatly trained” “… a Navy consisting of three small ships that sailed between Goa, Daman and Diu” and “… no Air Force… worth considering”.
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As compared to this, the Government of India, without the mandatory declaration of war, launched a massive attatck on Goa, Daman and Diu, on 18th December 1961, from three sides of Goa. The Indian Army of highly trained 45,000 men and 25,000 reserves, armed with sophisticated weapony, units of armoured vehicles and backed by Air Force and Navy, swooped on Goa, under command of Maj.Gea. K.P. Candeth.
Is it any wonder that these might Forces of India accomplished their “Operation” in just 11/2 days? On the other hand the outcome of a battle between tiger and a sheep is foregone, but to claim it to be “Vijay” !?
Obviously, all the Nations of the world were alarmed and highly disturbed. An emergency meeting of the U.N.Security Council was summond on 18th December 1961, the deliberations of which lasted long into the night, because of the possible and eminent loss of innocent unarmed population of Goa.
After much discussion, during which France, the U.K., China, U.S.A. Equador, Turkey and Chile severely condemned India, for the use of armed Force against an unarmed population, that was also contrary to the Principles of the U.N.Charter, of which India was (and still is) a signatory.
Mr.S.K.Jha, representing India at the U.N.Security Council Meeting, brazenly and contemptuously declared, that India already entered Goa’s borders, “Charter or no Charter, Council or no Council”.
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He also declared, with total disregard for truth, “that Portugal has massed 12,000 millitary troops, Air-Crafts and Navy, and that these Forces have been threateming all the people of Goa and the neighbouring people of the territory of India”.
Notwithstanding the exact opposite ground reality in Goa, even as per the Indian Intelligence Report, two Resolutions were submitted at the U.N Security Council Meeting.
1. A Resolution supporting India’s Military action in and against Goa, was submitted by Ceylon (now Srilanka), Liberia, (then) USSR and United Arab Republic (UAR).
When the Resolution was put to vote, by show-of-hands, it was not adopted, because 4 voted for and 7 abstained.
2. The second Resolution was submitted by France, Turkey, the U.K. Northern Ireland, U.S.A, Chile, China and Equador.
The Resolution called for:
a. “Immediate cessation of hostilities…
b. “... and for India to withdraw to its position, prevailing on 17thDecember 1961”
c. and “… urge(d) the parties to workout a permanent solution by peaceful incaus…”
d. “... with the assistance of the General Secretary:. (of U.N.)
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The Resolution was put to vote by show of hands. Seven (7) voted for and four (4) voted against. Yet it was not adopted, because of the “veto power” of USSR as a “Permanent Member of the Security Council” and one of the four (4) that voted against the Resolution.
Mr. Stevenson, representing the USA from the inseption of the UNO (for 16 years in 1961), lamented “with a most heavy heart” that the failed Resolution because of the veto of USSR, could begin the demise of the UNO, just like NATO earlier. It could also make the UNO a powerless Body, unable to prevent Nations taking to arms, to settle their differences, thus nullifying the raison d’etre why UNO was stablished, with such great hope.
Mr. Stevenson’s words proved to be prophetic.
The world today has become one great killing-field, while the UNO watches helplessly, apart from providing food for the starving millions of the undeclared war-victims, medicines for the severely wounded children, women and men and passing Resolutions and strictures that no one respects.
At this stage, it is necessary to point out that Goa (Daman and Diu) was in a “special league” as a “colony”, as compered to the colonies of the world-powers then, including Angola, Mozambique and Timor, that were “colonies” of Portugal, in the common, dictionary meaning of the term.
Despite the long period of Salazar’s dictatorial regime, that severely controlled and curbed the Press (just like the period during the ex-P.M. Indira Gandhi’s “Emergency”), not only in Goa, Daman, Diu, Angola,
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Mozambique and Timor, but ALSO IN PORTUGAL, Goans (as well as people of Daman and Diu) were and remained full CITIZENS of Metropolitan Portugal.
As full “citizens” of Portugal Goans have been Ministers of Central Cabinet of Lisbon, Supreme Court Judges (Dr. Vassanta Tamba in Lisbon) Governors of Provincers (Bernado Peres da Silva of Goa), University Professors Diplomats, Admirals, Generals (ex-President of Portugal-Gen. Ramalho Eanes, served in the Portuguese Army in Goa, as a Lientenand, under Command of a Goan. A member of the prominent family of Panjim-Mamay Kamat served in the Portuguese Army).
As full “Citizens” of Portugal, Goans held Portuguese “Titles of Nobility” etc. From 1822, when Parliamentary System was started, Goa sent is elected Representatives to the Parliament in Lisbon, without fail.
Thus Goans as full “citizens” of Portugal, enjoyed all the socio-political rights, for a atleast 400 years before India was “born” as a Political entity and for 125 years excercised their right to be elected to the Paliament in Lisbon. Infact, Goa’s most illustrious M.P.Francisco Luiz Gomes, elected from the Canacona Constituency, died in the same month and year when Mahatma Gandhi was about just 1 month old!.
And now Portugal has a Prime Minister Antonio Costa; Dr. Joao Leao as Minister of State for Economic Affairs; Virginia Bras Gomes - a Senior Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, and others, all of whom are Goans who are full “citizens” of Portugal and not as “neither-here-nor-there” P.I.Os of India, in foreign contry.
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Indians, on the other land, under the harsh, repressive British Colonial Rule, were “Subjects” of the “British Crown” and therefore were denied all socio-political rights and privilages that citizens in England enjoyed. Zamindari System was stablished by British Colonial Goverrnment to collect taxes from poor farmers as well as from Rajas and Maharajas of the many independent Princely Kingdoms that made up the sub- continent of India then. During the British Colonial Rule, people of the sub-continent suffered much socially, economically and emotionally.
The socio-political situation during the British Colonial Rule has been bluntly expressed by the spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. In a satsang, when a seeker asked him why the Indian media projects India negatively, he answered.
“Because when we were SLAVES, when India was ruled by the British, our media had this tendency to blame everything…” (“The Speaking Tree”_ A Times of India Publication 14 June 2015) It is telling that while Goans were full “citizens” of Portugal, Indians under the British Colonial Rule were “subjects” or “slaves” of the Master-the “British Crown”.
It is clear that Goa was not a “colony” in its true dictionary sense, just as East Pakistan (now independent Bangla Desh) was not a colony of West Pakistan and the people were but full “citizens” or Alaska, that is separated by a massive land-mass of Canada, is not a colony of the USA and the people are full “citizens” of the USA.
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However, after India conquered Goa on 19thDecember 1961 (Supreme Court of India-Mons. Sebastiao F.X.dos Monteiro v/s State of Goa A.I.R.1970 page 329 S.C.), Goans and Goa are traped in “Internal Colonialism” of India - a concept propounded by Shrinivas Dharmadhikari -- a Management Coasultant, keenly engaged in Global Busines, Geo-Politics, Social Equity and Secularism.
According to Mr. Dharmadhikari, “Internal Colonialism” depends on appropriating precious but limited natural resources and launch an “Extract and Sell Spree”, with total disregard for environmental and ecological consideration or inter-generational equity” This understanding of “Internal Colonialism” fits the tragedy that Goa is today, like a made-to-order glove. Of the total iron-ore exported from India, 60% of it, as the ex-P.M.Nehru disparagingly referred to as “that little bit of territory”- is our Goa.
But as a “Conquered People” Goans must wake up to the fact, that the Conqueror owns not only our limited, natural resources, but us, the people. This is doubly re-enforced, because Goans are also “subjects” or “slaves” of the “Internal Colonial” Master--- India.
Despite the fact that all the Nations of the world and the UN were alarmed, shocked and shaken, because of the full-fledged Millitary assault by India, on Goa (Daman & Diu) on 18-19 December 1961, P.M.Narendra Modi, on 2nd October 1961, chose to sweep it aside, as a non-event, precisely because, as a “Conquered People” or “subjects” or “slaves” we are insignificant and non-consequential, just as cockroaches
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or houseflies are. “Thou shall not kill” or “trample upon” is not applicable to cockroaches or houseflies and now progressively to Goenkars, as is clear to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear.
Let this reality sink deep in the minds and hearts of every Goenkar everywhere and remain vigilant against the indoctrination, that we are free, that we are liberated. That is now a 55 years old LIE. How much longer will we Goenkars allow this LIE to go on?
That is a serious question that needs a serious answer, from us Goenkars everywhere!
(Sergio Carvalho)