Sudeep Dalvi seen addressing the meet.
To commemorate the birth anniversary of the late Fr. Bismarkque Dias at Kala Academy’s Black Box in Panjim, a meeting was held by the friends of the late revolutionary priest whose visionary thoughts and statements boldly expressed not only from his home village St. Estevaum but also from all over Goa namely Panjim – some villages in Salcette, Mapusa and Terakol on tomorrow’s Goa, frightened the persons wielding power in their hands to mete out to him severe punishment which they succeeded finally coming thru the back door to liquidate him. Though they succeeded in physically eradicating him from our midst but they will never eradicate his vision and thoughts which are ingrained deeply in our veins, i.e his followers. Because of this the huge number of his followers though they may be silent for the time being but one day they will come out openly with vociferous chants and will overwhelm the streets of Goa to demand justice for the late fr. Bismarque. Though due to lethargic attitude of many of the Goans failed to attend this meet yet thru this meet it was once again proved that he is still alive and not dead.
If Portuguese even with minus the dictatorship of Salazar were ruling in Goa now then the culprits who were responsible behind the dastardly act against the innocent priest, would apprehend those responsible for committing this cowardly act against Fr. Bimarque. And then after conducting the fair and unbiased trial would pass a sentence that even afterwards criminals would get frighten to commit more crimes. But this did not happen because Portuguese were already uprooted from Goa in 1961 and instead Bharati Portuguese conquered our Goa. Earlier Portuguese conqueror Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa and established Portuguese rule over Goa. Between the two conquests, the latter conquest was unbearable stinking with corruption in every segment of government machinery and society as a whole. The Portuguese may be responsible to convert us into Christianity but definitely they were responsible for giving us good discipline and making us good law abiding citizens unlike the Bharati citizens from beyond the borders of Goa. I don’t think I and people like me would acquire such a high moral character and good discipline if Portuguese were not settled in Goa.
The agenda for this meeting on Sunday was dwelled on three points, namely Education, Employment and Election since these topics were of utmost importance to Fr. Bismarque for his campaign to protect Goa. There were 5 panelists to discuss these topics two from the delegation of 5 activists who came from Bihar - one was doctor and the other a Phd student while one from Poona University and the remaining from Goa University. The discussion was well conducted and as a member of the audience A. Veronica Fernandes participated too when he clarified one point raised by one Goan panelist who said the educational development took place in Goa after 1961. Refuting this, A.Veronica said it was not correct, the actual development of education took place with the arrival of Governador Vassalo e Silva somewhere in 1957/8 the last Portuguese Governor of Goa. Immediately after commencing his official duty as Governor of Goa, he promulgated a law making Portuguese primary education compulsory for any Goan child attaining the age of 6 otherwise heavy fine was imposed. Thru this method the Portuguese Governador forced the education even on ordinary common person and because of this educational background ordinary Goan child learnt to eradicate the social discriminations rampantly practiced in Goa then.
It should be also known well that education was flourishing in Goa both in English and in Portuguese much before Portuguese Governor Vassalo e Silva made it compulsory. For example, the Goa Medical College was the oldest in Asia, the St. Joseph’s High School at Arpora was established over 2 centuries back which was catering to the students from all over Goa. Portuguese government never suppressed Goan child from acquiring education however poor and low caste that student be. If poverty stricken Goans failed to get education then it was because these Goans could not afford to do so for lack of financial resources. In view of these the poor Goan youth instead of going to school they were sent by their unalphabet parents to the fields or to work at their Bhattkar’s place as domestic workers or sent them to Bombay.
Sudeep Dalvi the main person behind this meet compeered the proceedings.
A.Veronica Fernandes.