Below is what AVF wrote in goanet-digest 4015. As it happens, I recently got the chance to meet veteran journo Alfred D'Cruz, and we got acquainted. As a matter of curiosity, I wrote to the octogenarian writer, to check up the veracity of what was stated below.
I was surprised to hear what he had to say: the version below is totally incorrect, and Alfred had made no such comments. In fact, his mother died in Bombay, he told me. Please note, that I am not taking sides here between those who favour the pre-1961 situation and those who favour the post-1961 scenario. In my opinion, today trying to show that one side is better than the other is an irrelevant debate. What matters is the quality of life that any regime (and obviously those who act as its local representatives in Goa, taking cover under various hues of political colours) can offer to every citizen of this state. But, in whatever position taken, the facts relied on to build the argument have to be accurate. Just that.... FN PS: It would be interesting for historians to study this understudied period of Goa's trajectory, and weed out the facts from the myth. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 25 May 2002 07:04:09 +0000 From: "A. Veronica Fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Goanet] Compensate Tiatrists/Rape Victims COMPENSATION FOR RAPE VICTIMS AND TIATRISTS TOO. "GOENKARANCHO EKVOTT" DEMANDS COMPENSATION TO RAPE VICTIMS OF 1961^Ô Dear Agnelo Gomes Bab, ... Alfred D^ÒCruz was a renowned Goan journalist from Bombay, after working for 40 years at Times of India he retired and now leading a retired life at his Bombay Bandra Home, near Linking Road. Hailing from Saligao Bardez and coming from an aristocratic family he as a boarder at Arpora finished his Matriculation and completed his double graduation in Bombay and soon joined Times under the British Editor. While in Bombay he involved in Goa's liberation movement and because of which he was banned by the Portuguese Government in Goa from entering Goa. Even when his dearest mother died he could not attend to her funeral though he tried his level best to cast his last glance on his dead mother. Soon after Goa was grabbed by Bharat, Nehru was in Bombay addressing a press conference. During this conference Nehru spotted D^ÒCruz and asked him thus "Mr. D^ÒCruz! Are you satisfied that your beloved Goa is now liberated by our troops?" For this Alfred D^ÒCruz retorted thus "Mr. Prime Minister, it hurts me very much to ask you that - have you sent your troops to Goa to liberate my Goa or to rape our innocent women and loot my Goa?" For this Nehru was totally embarrassed, so too others. The rapes, pillage and loot done by Indian Military personnel in 1961 was not a fake argument but a truth and REAL TRUTH.... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=- To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet ================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
