The late Dayananda Bandocar
Personally I have nothing against him but as a political leader he deserves nothing but curses from the genuine Goans for destroying Goa and using his power to degrade Christians in Goa that does not belong to his ancestry. Reading elsewhere I came to know that today is his birthday. I think if he was not born only it would have been nice.What good did he do for our golden Goa soon after the invasion of Goa by the vastly militarily powerful India? When Goa was under the Portuguese rule, he enjoyed all the benefits for himself of developing into a successful businessman in Mining. Just because he was a Hindu, Portuguese rule in Goa never debarred him from gaining previlleges in doing business. Because of this previllege he should have been grateful to Portuguese rule but on the contrary he had dislike for them. It is these Bandodkars, Salgaocars, Chowgules, Shantilals, Dempos, Caculos, Naiks and many such Hindus grabbed the business opportunities from Portuguese Pakles, some of them even by doing illicit acts.
Christians never acquired those fatty and lucrative previlleges from the Portuguese rule in Goa. And on top of it, some of the bloody rascals are saying on the top of their voices that Goan Christians enjoyed better facilities from the Portuguese rule in Goa further adding that that they were very good chamchas of Portuguese. If they were so then the Christians in Goa would have captured all the business facilities for them only but it never happened that way. The Commerce and Industy mainly the major one, mining was into the hands of Hindus. The Non-Brahmin Christians comprising major part of Christians in their community in Goa, especially those coming from “Koixtty” Christian community such as “Xetkar, Zotkar, Nistekar, Paddekar, Mottorcar, Dukonkar, Posorkar, Sorekar etc. never received any benefit from the Portuguese, they came up in life mainly by going abroad in Africa – both Portuguese and British, Gulf, Bombay, Karachi, Tarvar and elsewhere. These Goans made lot of sacrifices by working in far places by keeping their families in Goa. They suffered so much of physical and mental trauma. Their self-sacrifices made them develop themselves and their families. And for their development nobody in Goa should take credit.
Portuguez had to leave from Goa because my beloved Goa is not the fathers’ property of Portuguez “serkar”. If I had to be a little bigger then, I would deffinetely involve myself in the freedom movement of my own but would never associate with the prevailing one then consisting some of the rogues, criminals, communalists and crooks. Even if I had to suffer torturing and imprisonment from the Portuguese “serkar” I would accept it but never I would accept nor demand like a shameless pimp any favour from the government of Goa nor Central government, for taking active part in the Goa's liberation movement. I would declare openly and loudly that my sacrifices are so great, so great that they cannot be remunerated with the financial pension nor compensated with the awards and certificates which means nothing other than a piece of paper. In this way I would keep the value of my sacrifices for the cause of my beloved Goa uncompensated and unremunerated, above all.
The name of Dayananda Bandodcar was not new to me as I already heard his name during the Portuguese rule in Goa as one of our locals Rahul, the son – in – law of Candolim, rented his Hino Truck with the Driver Pequenino by name from our village only. Monthly once Bandodcar was paying Rahul his Truck charges as per the trips. But every month when Pequenino was going to collect the money for the service provided by the Truck of Rahul, Bandodcar was delaying thereby putting Rahul into inconvenience. Then from Rahul and Pequenino I came to know that Bandodcar was a “kettist”. Knowing Rahul was not rich man yet Bandodcar was harassing him to pay his money and yet this man later on became lover of poor people.
His involvement suddenly in politics on behalf of Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party was such a rude shock for us especially for genuine Goans in general and for Goan Christians in particular that he like drugged man by Maharastra started working against us and our interest. He projected himself as the patron of Bahuzan Samaz the poor in Goa and these people he found only among Hindus, among Christians he never found Bahuzan Samaz people. Thus he created a wedge between Christians and Hindus in Goa, both the dominant communities. He and his Party started treating Christians as rejected people. No doubt Christians started feeling the discriminatory attitude of MGP but surely he gave a sense of identity to the Hindu Bahuzan Samaz. The high profile administration of Goa started going into the hands of these hoi-polloi new administrators thereby “Bozekar” became top persons in Goa.
At the fag end of his rule he became so powerful like a dictator that he and his Partymen could do anything. If it was not for his sudden death, Christians would not have a place in Goa to live peacefully with dignity. As it was, many Christians already started accepting the fact that they are non-entities in Goa.
In his death his Chamchas suffered and they got lost in Goa dawning peaceful, dignified and respectable life for Christians for whom he and his party treated as second class Citizens while his community members as full fledged Indians. In his death the greatest enemy of Goa and Goans gone into extinction. Because of him his party came to power and did all nonsense in Goa. It was our misfortune that he got the power to rule Goa after the exit of Portuguez otherwise the Opposition in power would rule Goa with perfection to the satisfaction of all because they were all true Goans with high caliber.
The "Mundkar Kaido" he introduced was not for the love of Mundkars but more for the hatred he had for the Christians Bhattkars many among whom deserve more punishment. This was the only good measure he took during his "Rajvoddki".
A.Veronica Fernandes.