Dear Netters,
The timing of the fatwa [dated 17 December,2004]from the Goa Directorate of
Education and the distribution of the infamous VCD personally by some of the
taluka level functionaries on 18 December,2004, speaks volumes in what it
does NOT say.
The VCD was available with the Directorate of Education from 12
December,2002[ according to a Pressnote issued yesterday by the Director].
The Directorate had the Film Censor Board clearance[ atleast for the
original Ramesh Deo version]Why was it sent to the schools at the eleventh
hour? Was it like cutting of the Rain trees at DB Marg Campal in the dead of
the night under the cover of darkness ....when the permission to cut had
been issued by the Forest Dept? Or was it like cutting the trees near old
GMC without permission on a Sunday and obtaining ex-post facto permission to
regularize the cutting the trees on the following Monday , when challenged?
If the version circulated to the schools for compulsory display [ a
compliance report has been officially asked for in Tiswadi taluka by the
ADEI] has CBFC certificate, why is it not displayed at the beginning of the
'documentary' film in the officially circulated VCDs ???
The local press has carried the Directorate of Educations version along with
the Congress protest, as can be seen in part below. Please look up the full
text on the website www.navhindtimes.com to see the full version.
Navhind Times on the Web: Goa, Tuesday, December 21, 2004 . Main Page, Goa
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Congress demands withdrawal of CD on Goa�s freedom struggle
NT Staff Reporter
Panaji Dec 20: The Congress today condemned the CD
of documentary film Goa Freedom Struggle, released by the education
department, for �sowing the seeds of communal hatred� and demanded immediate
withdrawal of the CD from Goan schools.
............................................................................
......................
PHOTO Pilgrims standing in a queue for the Exposition at Se
Cathedral on Saturday.Joaquim Fernandes
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Keni stresses need to protect Goa�s cultural legacy NT
Staff Reporter
Panaji Dec 20: The noted Konkani writer and former editor of
Rashtramat, Mr Chandrakant Keni has said that the next generation will have
to make efforts for preserving the self-respect and cultural legacy of Goa
by maintaining the secular fabric and unity, in the fast- changing times.
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a.. Awareness campaign on child abuse launched NT News
Service
Margao Dec 20: Goa has witnessed a number of cases of sexual
abuse in last couple of months, where young children were the victims.
taking cognizance of this, the Law Graduates� Guild and G R Kare College of
Law, Margao, have planned a series of child abuse awareness programmes.The
campaign was flagged off at 3 p.m. from Colva on Sunday on the occasion of
Goa Liberation Day, where many NGOs, social workers, senior advocates and
others took part. Colva has been selected as the venue for the campaign as
recently a series of child abuse cases, including rapes, have been reported
from the area.
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The Goa Government's priority is apparently in bastardizing history so much
that
it does not tell it like it was printed in its own publications and school
textbooks issued by the very same Directorate of Education. I quote from "
HISTORY & CIVICS Standard Five" text book issued by the "Directorate of
Education Governement of Goa" in 2002 [ i.e.under the same BJP dispensation
in Goa]which my son currently studies in a school aided by the Government of
Goa. I quote from the text verbatim [ 'all capitals" for emphasis' mine]
from page5
Quote "Chapter 2 EARLY RULERS-II.
GOA UNDER THE VIJAYNAGAR AND BADAMI RULE:
In the 14th century, Goa was a great trading centre. It imported good
quality horses from Persia and Arabia. These horses were in great demand in
the Deccan. The rulers of both,Vijaynagar and Badami were at war with each
other. Both wanted Goa mainly because of the HORSE TRADE. So Goa was at
different times OCCUPIED by the rulers of Vijay nagar and Badami.
GOA UNDER BIJAPUR:
Yusuf Adil Shah brought Goa into the Kingdom of Bijapur. He was a powerful
ruler. He encouraged agriculture , art and literature. He was TOLERANT to
all religions.Under him, Hindus were given religious freedom. Some of them
were given high civil and military posts.
Yusuf Adil Shah developed the PORT OF GOA by constructing a main road from
the jetty of River Mandovi at OLD GOA right up to the PALACE of Adil Shah
[present Secretariat] for trade and commerce. The PORT of Old Goa later
became the capital city under Portuguese rule. Unquote
Chapter-3 has this to say.
Quote. After 1498, Portugal sent fleets to India from time to time, to keep
the spice trade of the MALABAR under Portuguese control. One of these fleets
was under AFONSO DE ALBUQUERQUE, who had a dream of establishing a
Portuguese empire in the East.
CONQUEST OF GOA
Afonso de Albuquerque had heard of the importance of Goa's location on the
West coast of India. He felt that the conquest of Goa would strengthen the
Portuguese rule over the Arabian Sea. TIMMAYA, the Admiral of the Vijaynagar
fleet, INVITED him to free the Hindu population from the unbearable rule of
Bijapur at Goa. On March1,1510, Albuquerque sailed up the river Mandovi,
captured and looted ships at Goa harbour. No one opposed him.
Two months later, Ismail Adil Shah, King of Bijapur, sent a large army to
Goa. It drove the Portuguese into the sea. Unquote.
This book is available at all bookshops dealing with school text books for
less than Rs.20/-. It may be nice if the Director of Education, the high
profile Deputy Director of Education [Vocational ] Shri Anil V.Powar and the
self-styled educationist honoured at the behest of his guru [Murli Manohar
Joshi ] Shri Subhash Velingkar, read the official history. Still better,
they could read an unbiased view fo history in INSIDE GOA written by
acclaimed author Manohar Mulgaokar and the first edition published by the
Government of Goa,Daman & Diu in 1982.THE REASON why the second edition [in
May 2004] was REFUSED this patronage [when Rs.40 lakhs could be spent on the
VCD film] by the Goa Government may need an application under the RIGHT TO
INFORMATION ACT. The author only alludes to this in his note in a way only
refined writers can. The book is available at Braodway,Panaji, for just
Rs.695/- I have had the pleasure of reading this wonderful book and to
review it for the GOA TRAVELLER and EXPO PLUS of the Diamond
Publications,Panaji.
In the meanwhile, it is interesting to note that the Government of the State
of Goa has dubbed the VCD in GUJARATI language. Is that colonial hangover of
Daman and Diu...or cannon fodder for the wannabe Modi for religious
polarization of the VOTE BANK. The catholic bishop in the documentary looks
more like a muslim MULLAH with his flowing, henna brown beard than a bishop
of his times. The priests also have more than a passing resemblance to
muslim clerics. Perhaps, this is not nuclear technology. It is unclear
whether it will have "dual use" just the same.
Viva goa.
Miguel
