Never to talk ill of the dead, goes the Roman saying. My friend at St. Xavier’s College Mapsa, ex-Minister Francis D’Souza and current MLA from Mapsa constituency was totally exploited by the BJP led by Parrikar and after foot-balling him the way they wanted, BJP dumped him into waste paper basket. It is sad to know how Francis failed to realize the chicanery of Parrikar in particular and that of BJP is a big question mark. Francis may say anything but BJP and Parrikar used him as a mirror of Christian community in general and Catholic community in particular. BJP used Francis only to woo and get the goodwill of the Catholic community in Goa whom Francis treated as nothing.
He was my fan and admirer at soccer ground especially at St. Xavier’s College and Mapsa Duler when I was playing for Sesa Goa also on athletics field where I excelled in running. Though he was junior to me in College yet he admired me. During my meeting him any time he used to wish me very respectfully with his normal humility which he derived from his father Mr. Pedro a popular and helpful figure at Camara Municipal Bardez. It was because of his father Pedro, Francis gained name and fame and good respect in Mapsa and other villages in his constituency.
During my last 5 years in Goa after returning from Kuwait, he invited me at his place along with my wife for Dinner thrice during special occasions and he discussed with me many of the subjects touching our younger days. He had very good memory which I came to know when he cited some incidents created by me while playing soccer. It is surprising he still remembered the minute incidents that occurred on the soccer ground 50 years back, one of them was at Duler ground during our encounter between Sesa Goa and Vasco. We were leading by one goal to nil, when the atmosphere inside and outside the ground was heavily charged, I shoulder dashed the most robust forward of Goa, Bernado of Vasco who felled down on the ground and rolled in agony for about 10 metres. Referee did not point out any fault but spectators who were mainly the supporters of Vasco entered the ground in thousands demanding infringement. Nobody touched me though at moment it looked they wanted to kill me. When spectators refused to leave the ground, referee from Agacaim nicknamed as “Cheuris” blew the long whistle and abandoned the game.
He did what he felt the best by by getting embedded to BJP thinking they would stand by him when need arises but true to their anti-Christian principle and pro-Hindu doctrine they dropped Francis like a potato in the Kitchen. To please the Goa command and Delhi high command of BJP he even went to so far as to call himself as Christian Hindu. By totally surrendering himself to the doctrine of BJP he even forgot to raise his voice against BJP’s anti-Christian decisions thus proving to Christians that there is no one in BJP to support Christians. Mathanay Saldanha also did the same. Similar tactic was used by the recently died George Fernandes when he was a cabinet minister at the Centre. When our own elected representatives refuse to side with us then who will support us? Then God play Ḥis role by implanting in our bodies incurable illneses like Cancer or Kidney failure etc. that take control of our bodies.
It is a pity that within 48 hours 2 stalwarts of Goa disappeared like an Ether and how many more are there in line? It is not good to hurt the sentiments of the weak. Where are all the then great stalwarts of MGP gone now? Fear God my brothers and sisters. There may not be any one on this planet to check your moves but there is somebody above to put a full stop to all your moves. Respect God – Fear God because as it is said in Konkani “DEVACHEA MARANK AVAZ NA”.
A.Veronica Fernandes.