This is the day, the 19thDecember,called the Liberation Day of Goa but Supreme Court of India in its landmark judgment on Pe. Chico Monteiro’s case said that on 19thDecember 1961 Goa was conquered by India. In view of this, I don’t understand who coined this word Liberation of Goa on 19th December. In fact, Goa was invaded on 18th December only when the lengthy convey of Military vehicles including heavy Tanks were going to Aguada Sinquerim to conquer the heavy military citadel of Aguada where about a few hundreds of Portuguese Military personnel were stationed there including a few Goans. While going to Aguada early in the morning when darkness was down and little foggy light was just appearing while the Sky above was not showing any sign of becoming bright but indicating its sorrowfulness thru its dull appearance giving an impression that something bad is happening for the land and for the people below it. Yes, on that day it was indicating that something bad on Goa is coming in the name of Liberation of Goa. The atmosphere all around was indicating that the Raj of Chors – Bamtte – Krimidores – Rostad is dawning on Goa as it was indicated at a little later than dawn when my father innocently was going to our field to adjust the flow of water in our Paddy field which was located nearby our house, touching the main road thru which the Bharati invaders were going to Aguada. When my father had lot of goodwill for Portugal for giving us discipline and good habits yet he was always insisting the Portuguese must leave Goa on its own free will by handing the power over to Goans. He was fair like a “Paklo” and this fairness of his attracted the attention of the General or Commander or the Chief of that Bharati convoy who was seated in the front vehicle from where by stopping his vehicle and along with others too for about 10 minutes, he shouted loudly at my father and asked my father in English “what are you doing there and called my father up to him, for this my father obliged like a obedient soldier of course like a Cockroach who otherwise thought himself like a giant afraid of none.
Then he asked my father in Hindi what he is doing in the field, my father replied saying he is adjusting the flow of water. He asked then whose field is it, my father replied saying it is his. Then he asked why you are wearing a Banyan, my father replied saying because I am a poor man. Then he said loudly “you are poor because Portuguez purposedly kept you poor and henceforth no Goan will remain poor”.
Listening to this nonsense as Gospel Truth, my father innocently came home running, leaving the small job of adjusting the flow of water to our paddy field incomplete and started giving slogans like a mad, as Jai Hind, Jai Bharat, Nehru Zindabad and Salazar Murdabad and told us all at home that henceforth we will become all rich. Such an intelligent my father was otherwise but that stupid top Military personnel of the stupid country India totally mesmerized my father who remained till his death to see the good days coming for us. At moments he was by thinking of all what he was told by that Indian Military personnel, my father was cursing him and also to the Bharat where there is no system, no discipline, no law and order situation. It is not my father alone but overwhelming majority of our elders who spent their major part of life under the disciplined system and under the law and order during Portuguese rule, finally gone to the grave by hating and cursing this Bharat where the corruption and bad habit are rule of the land and where the Goans are not a match to the Bharati people whose expertise in this corrupt habits are second to none. The goondagiri is so rampant that these goondas are become Kings of this land, they can do anything they want because the elected representatives have gone totally insane as the most corrupt because they lack quality, character and dignity in them. These public figures are come from third grade background while during the Portuguese rule it was just the opposite. They are robbing the people of their money by demanding Bribe from public which is so huge that it looks a parallel economy is also running in India. These elected representatives are so disgraceful that they are looting and robbing the Communidade land as if it is their fathers’ property since Communidade once managed by the upright persons are now gone into the hands of most corrupt, most rascals and most disgraceful minded Goans. Everywhere you see nothing but hurdles for you on your way. Those elders of ours thru their wisdom they forecast that Goa will go out from the hands of Goans and that will be the last nail in our coffin which will be hammered shortly by the outsider Ghantees, I hope it should not be when I am alive because as a lover of Goa having struggled for the protection of Goa so much, I will not be able to accept that reality.
Today there were so many functions to celebrate this day with great pomp but for me there is nothing extra ordinary in this pomp, it is pomp for the people who are enjoying better life by robbing the Ladrus and Pedrus and filling their pockets. I am not happy on this day because there is nothing much to be happy, in fact on this day in 1961 my Goa was re-colonised with the help of Military Gun by the Military personnel who are non-Goan just as earlier when Portugues General Afonso de Albuquerque colonized Goa and made Goans as slaves of Portugal. There is no difference between the slavery of Portugal and Bharat. There is no difference between the colonizing of Goa by Portugal and Bharat however, the colonialism from the former was much better that one day it will end at least but the colonialism of the latter is the worst as there is no chance for us to get real freedom and liberation, under this colonialism we will get extinguished and turn into ashes. I would be happy if my Goa was handed over into the hands of Goans by the Indian government just as Bangladesh was handed over to their people. And as I forecast, we as peace loving Goans we will never enjoy peace and prosperity under this Bharati government. R.I.P. for Goan Peace. And where are all the Freedom Fighters of Goa gone? Was it their wish to see the Goa of their love to reach to this level? Did you suffer so much from the hands of Portugues Agente Monteiros to see your Goa reaching to this miserable level.
A.Veronica Fernandes.