goanet-digest Thursday, May 23 2002 Volume 01 : Number 4010
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In this issue:
[Goanet] WAKE UP... The lesser of the two evils
[Goanet] Sad demise of great Goan.
[Goanet] Video Films on Gujarat/Konkany Martys.
See end of digest for information on subscribing/unsusbcribing.
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Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 11:59:47 -0600 (MDT)
From: "M Mascarenhas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] WAKE UP... The lesser of the two evils
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE
Margaret Mascarenhas
The lesser of two evils
Over the past 4 years, which is the tenure of the BJP leadership in
Gujarat, the magazine Communalism Combat has published a number of special
reports drawing attention to the insidious signs of a fascist anti-minority
build-up in the state, which includes a systematic politicization of the
police and blatant communal propaganda from sectarian publications such as
Sandesh and Gujarat Samachar. Even though the provocative behavior of the
ram sevaks on board the Sabarmati Express has been widely documented by the
secular press, the torching of bogey S-6 is clearly indefensible. However,
the statement of Narendra Modi, who has been staunchly defended by the BJP
everywhere, when he called subsequent targeted assaults on Muslims (which
included the rape, mutilation and burning of hundreds of civilians) in 16
districts "a natural reaction" is even more reprehensible, given that it
came from the mouth of a man who is by law supposed to represent ALL the
people of Gujarat. It is in clear violation of the principle of the
Representation of the People Act.
Last week I watched a documentary at the TB de Cunha Hall in which the
eyewitness account of a 10 year old boy describes the stomach of a pregnant
Muslim woman being slit open, the fetus ripped out, the fetus thrown in the
air, and caught on a trishul. If this behavior is "natural", then India has
regressed to a Cro-Magnon stage of evolution.
Today I received yet another spam mailer from the Goa BJP lauding the
remarks of Union Telecommunications Minister, Pramod Mahajan, on May
20: "Taking on the Congress head on over its attempt to impose the Gujarat
incident as an agenda on the electorate of the state, Mr Mahajan said that
the issue of Gujarat, while relevant to the nation, had nothing to do with
the May 30 election in Goa. Think of the leadership of Goa, think of the
issues that the state of Goa faced. If you want to talk of the Gujarat
violence, then begin with Godhra, not Goa, he remarked, adding that it was
from Godhra that the Gujarat violence began. "
Even if we begin with Godhra, this does not paint a pretty future for Goa
under a BJP leadership.
I suggest the people of Goa begin with Goa. Whatever the manifesto of a
political party, once in power, it is constitutionally bound to represent
all sections of society. When the VHP called an all-India bandh following
the Godhra incident, Goa's acting CM, Manohar Parrikar, publicly declared
the bandh a success. Which led many to legitimately wonder whether he was
functioning as a representative of the people of Goa or as a mouthpiece of
the VHP. Goa had a faint whiff of Gujarat, and a taste of the potential
future, that day, when thugs ran amuck, enforcing the bandh and terrorizing
shopkeepers and people on the road. To my knowledge, none of the thugs were
arrested. If the situation in Gujarat has, according to Mahajan, nothing to
do with Goa, then why did Manohar Parrikar declare the Gujarat -related
bandh a success? Is this his idea of good governance?
Here is an example of VHP-speak from Acharya Giriraj Kishore (senior
vice-president, VHP) in a pre-Godhra interview with rediff.com on February
7, 2002:
"These self-appointed secularists can no longer fool the Hindus who are
aware of the elaborate plan to damage our religion and religious beliefs.
Take it from me that our level of tolerance can be stretched no more. And
those who come in our way will be pulverized."
Pulverized? Secular Hindus who read this must be wondering what planet they
are on.
But, back to Goa. Isn't anybody wondering how it came to pass that the RSS
recently commandeered the grounds of the Sharada Mandir school, a secular
institution? Could this occur under a secular government? The BJP in Goa
has promised a corrupt-free government, but so far, none of the
participants in last year's Miramar sex scandal have been charge-sheeted
and the issue has mysteriously faded into the woodwork. And who among us
can forget the sight of the former BJP party president accepting illegal
funds with his own hands on the video taken by Tehelka.com, which was
broadcast globally. What does it matter who funded Tehelka? He took the money.
Having said all this, I realize that the Goan electorate is still caught
between a rock and a hard place. Disappointing even to Congress grass-roots
workers, the party has fielded the same candidates who have, in the past,
created instability and betrayed the electorate. Meanwhile, Dr Willie de
Sousa's idea of an election platform is ludicrous-screaming about
defectors-and a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black, if I ever
heard one, coming from the father of defection in Goa whose only political
claim to fame is the toppling of governments but never of governing. His
only contribution this time around will be to split the vote.
Nevertheless, an anguished Hindu gentleman I spoke with recently made this
chilling remark in regard to May 30th: " If my only option is to choose
between a corrupt member of a secular party and a card-carrying fascist, I
will choose the corrupt politician; it is the lesser of two evils."
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Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 18:19:07 +0000
From: "A. Veronica Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Sad demise of great Goan.
Death of Hugo Souza.
The sad news of death of Hugo Souza is terrible. My association and contact
with him though for a shortwhile came thru Gurunath Kelekar who then was
editing his Konkani Weekly Goencho Mog. Gurunath and he were both close
friends devising lot of ideas for the cause of Konkani. Being a more
knowledgable person Hugo was an asset thru his wisdom, knowledge and
sincerity. That time I was Kuwait correspondent of Goencho Mog and while in
1979/80 I was on vacation in Goa went to meet Gurunath Kelekar at his Press,
I met this great soul of Goa Victor Souza a great lover of Goa, Konkani,
Goan culture, history, tradition and everything best in Goa. A week later I
went to see him at his residence at Raia where he was living alone and was
very much known in that locality. Motorcycle pilots were his best friends
who were everyday transporting him from his home to the bus stand. During
my short conversation with him I realised his deep love for Goa and
everything concerning Goa. His encouragement and support to me to carry on
with the campaing for Konkani in Kuwait was a big booster. I still remember
the eulogy he made of me over my activities for the cause of Goa and Konkani
during our conversation. I very much value his comments and praises he
showered on me. He was very much thankful to Gurunath Kelekar for
introducing me to him.
It is a pity that persons like Hugo are getting into extinction from Goan
scene. His love for Goa and Konkani will always remember in my mind. As a
real philosopher he silently slipped from Goa and silenty took refuge
somewhere else to die a peaceful death. It is a pity to know that a man who
came to make Goa his final resting place had to die in Himachal Pradesh,
unsung - unpraised and unadored. In his death Goa lost a great patriot and
a great son. May his soul rest in peace.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
"Taking the liberty to circulate this note, from Samir Kelekar. I knew Hugo
- -- but due to geography perhaps we didn't have as much contact we should
have had. In the few meetings we had, I was impressed by Hugo's commitment
to issues like human rights. He always sent in that fifteen paise postcard
to appreciate an issue of NewsSpeak (a critical journal about journalism in
Goa, brought out by the Goa Union of Journalists) when we came out with
these in the late 'eighties. We need more Hugos in this globe. FN
Subject: Death: Hugo Souza
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Hi Guys:
Our dear friend Hugo Souza of Raia, Goa has passed
away. He died in the mission hospital in Himachal
Pradesh. He probably died of cancer.
He had left Goa and all of us a year back, to what
he called an unknown destination.
Personally, I am deeply indebted to this man who
taught me so many things that I cannot even recount.
A tremendous credit for what i am today goes to
this man who brought out the very best in me always.
He was a number one philosopher, who edited the
first konkani daily in free Goa. A rank holder
from Xavier's bombay, he passed his LLB with a gold
medal. He decided to come to Goa leaving Mumbai
to contribute to free Goa. His logic was so
penetrating
that he could beat any one at it.
His commitment, integrity and reputation at whatever
he did was unsurpassable. This man could have been
anything and anyone but he decided to be with his
own people and perhaps spent a major time of his
life dealing wih kids like me and help us grow up.
His belief in india and its potential was tremendous.
He was adept in a range of fields but he basically
called himself a theoretician. Right from reading
puzzle books of Martin Gardener, to discussing
world politics, astronomy, law, history, philosophy,
sociology, science you name it, this guy had
very few peers worldwide.
He gives me as much power in his death that he
had given in his life.
regards,
Sam "
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Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 19:16:20 +0000
From: "A. Veronica Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Video Films on Gujarat/Konkany Martys.
VIDEO FILM ON GUJARAT MUST CONTINUE.
Soon after the Opinion Poll tiatrist Robin Vaz penned his tiatr "pinion
Poll" but the Hitlerian Dictator Dayananda Bandodkar the first Chief
Minister and as a matter of fact communal Chief Minister of Goa opposed the
staging of this Tiatro in Goa. The excuse was that this tiatro will create
communal disharmony in Goa. Who was telling this? The most communal man
Dayananda Bandodkar who was responsible for turning Goa into communal.
Now Parrikar the present BJP Chief Minister of Goa is objecting to the
screening of Video Tapes on Gujarat carnage giving the same type of excue as
Bandodkar once gave. By virtue of being a member of BJP Parrikar should be
a communal person and what has happened in Gujarat was nothing but communal.
During the partition time of India some of the senior Muslims residing in
Kuwait tells me how Hindus used to cut the breast of Muslim women and
kicking like a tennis ball while other fanatic Hindus where applauding this
heinous act. One of my Pakistani friends Mr. Akram told me, once while
coming from Rangoon as a small boy along with his father and mother, at
Poona/Bombay he saw how Hindus where openly raping Muslim women in front of
their husbands and other manfolk, after raping how they were killing these
poor women. Mr. Akram also told me how pregnant women were butchered and
after removing babies from their wombs how they used to display them of
course to the pleasure of other communal Hindus. Besides Indian fanatic
Hindus to my knowledge only Jews at the time of establishment of Israel did
such criminal acts. The hero of this type of killings of Palestinian women
and removing babies from the wombs of pregnant Palestinian Arab women was
Menachem Begin who later on became prime minister of Israel. It was not
that Muslims were totally innocent but being majority community fanatic
Hindus played more dirty role as it was done in Gujarat. I am happy that
secular Hindus are revolting against what is happening in Gujarat. The
genocide going on in Gujarat is an unHindu act.It is against Hindu religion.
It should be exposed and Vide Tapes should be shown more and more. The
decision of the Parrikar Government to ban this video filim should be
challenged by the secular citizens. Let people know the truth however
hurting it may be for the concerned persons. By banning this type of Video
filims Parrikar is killing freedom in Goa. Where are all the freedom
fighters gone? Are they sleeping? Did they fight against Salazarist regime
to receive imposition of another Salazarism by Parrikar? "Kole Dholint
Lipleat Koxem Dista - Pensaum ani Tamrapatra ghevpak rokddech poile ubhe
zatat pun nitik zogoddkap kamllem kamrun nidtat".
While Video film on Gujarat carnage is going on and should carry on even
privately for selected few audience, I would also suggest that Video Films
of Konkani Martyrs should also be simultaneously shown so that people should
know what MGP has done for innocent Goans. I am sure Dr. Wilfred and others
especially KPA members like Mathanay Saldanhya will have these Videos
prepared very minutely with great pain.
Let people know what our enemies and enemies of Goa and Konkani have done
for our people. If anybody is sending me any Cassette of Gujarat carnage I
shall be highly indebted to him. I will make copies and circulate among our
people here.
Video Films of Gujarat carnage and Video Film of Konkani Martyrs should be
shown more and more not only now but also after the election. By all means
BJP should be thrown out of Goa.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
_________________________________________________________________
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End of goanet-digest V1 #4010
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