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Following some news in the air that some Hindu bretheren from Karwar owing allegiance to a local outfit in Karwar were to visit the Anjediv (Anjadip) Island on Dussehra 21st/22nd October 2004 for a religious function on the Island (which though not ceded from the Canacona Taluka South Goa District of the State of Goa by any Act of Parliament has been given to the Navy for their Sea Bird Project in 1987 merely by an administrative order of the revenue department of South Goa District and therefore legally is still a part of Goa ) as they believe that there was a deity of Arya Durga which is now shifted to Akola after the Portugese landed there in 1500. This writer visited Binaga Karwar on 13/10/2004 to ascertain the ground realities. There were some posters in Kanada displayed and some news item appeared in inner pages of the local and national dailies. However the www.vhp.org (English edition) as of date does not carry any news item of the impending plans as of today (20/10/2004) There is otherwise an annual festival on the neigbouring two islands of Kurumgad and Devgad (close to Anjadip )held in January during a part of the day on the Island and later on the mainland. This has been visited by BOTH Catholics and Hindus Similarly the customary Feast of Our Lady of Springs (Nossa Senhora de Brotas) is celebrated by BOTH Hindus and Catholics of Karwar but it is the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman with the priests nuns and the people of Goa who celebrate this Feast on that Island every year. Even after the cause way was built shortening the distance from mainland Binaga to Anjediva Island this Feast is celebrated every year on 2nd February last. This is not a new development but strictly as per the terms of handing over the Island to naval authorites, which necessitated that with due security considerations the same Feast will be celebrated as before. In fact another Feast of St Francis de Assisi ought to have been celebrated on 4th October but owing to the partial collapse of the same and its dilapidated state(owing to the neglect of Archdiocese of Goa & Daman to ensure its proper maintanence by the Naval authorities ) only the feast of Our Lady of Springs is being celebrated. The Church needs to be maintained by the Navy and they have indeed maintained it in good shape, after part of the roof caved in on April 2002. Infact in May 2004 repairs were carried out to the roof by the Navy. It is now learnt as of 20/10/2004 that the District Magistrate of Karwar has not granted permission to the "outfit" to enter the Island. This is in no way an impediment to the normal visit of the people of Goa and Karwar of irrespective of religious denominations to continue to visit the Island as before albeit with security restrictions to be observed. In fact it is on record as stated in the Goa Legislative Assembly that the the Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Minister of Goa Mr Manohar Parrikar had kindly granted an amount of Rs 25,000 for the urgent repairs of the Church then in April 2002 (but the same could not be carried out due to outbreak of monsoons --therefore a major portion of the roof collapsed )understanding the ancient and historical background of this place Island with Goa. In fact there still exists canons on the Island which belong to the Government of Goa and an inventory of these items are available with the Directorate of Archives Panaji Goa. There is also a Martyrs Memorial atop which provides a breath taking view of the Kali River and the Arabian Sea. It is therefore not known why the latest move of that "outfit" when all communities have lived in Karwar with excellent communal harmony. No doubt the there has been some political change of leadership in the 172 - KARWAR Assembly Constituency it is for the first time that in 2004 Assembly elections where the BJP candidate Gangadhar Nagesh Bhat defeated the Janata Dal (S) candidate Mr Rane Prabhakar S. In fact 1999 late Asnotikar Vasanth Kamalakar of INC defeated Mr Prabhakar Rane BJP 1994 Asnotikar Vasant Kamalakar of KCP defeated Prabhakar S. Rane INC 1989 Rane Prabhakar Sadashiv of INC defeated Arvind Vithoba Tendulkar JD 1985 Rane Prabhakar Sadashiv of INC defeated Naik Mota Teku of JNP 1983 Rane Prabhakar Sadashiv of INC defeated Naik Mota Teku IND 1978 Waingankar Dattatraya Vithu of INC(I) defeated Gaonkar Sakharam Dattatray JNP It is not clear according to the people of Karwar whether this latest venture of the "outfit" has the legal sanction of the political parties to consolidate their political grip over the otherwise Indian National Congress bastion, given the electopral scenario as above. However the people of karwar who mainly depend on fishing activites for their livelihood and some others in industries set up there vow to maintain the brotherly ties of all communities. The local MLA of Karwar Mr Bhat had also profusely congratulated the recently elected Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Mr Isidore Fernandes on his victory thereby assering the brotherhood and communal harmony of Catholics and Hindus. Goa does serve as an immediate destination for the economic well being of the people of Karwar and hence they argue that the attempts of the outfit will not have their support. Godfrey J I Gonsalves Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online Go to: http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matrimony