For the second year this 2nd February,2006 the authorities of the Sea Bird at Arga Karwar now christened INS Kadamba did not permit the customary Feast of Nossa Senhora de Brotas at Anjediva Islands off Canacona taluka.
This morning there was tight police and naval police security personnel posted at the various sites beginning from the Polem checkpost 60 kms from Margao (border of Goa)an at Baitkol the Administrative office the Project Sea Bird Office enroute Binaga and the Karwar city. However many people who came and called at the Sea Bird office were made to return. For locals the daily Karavali had carried a press release cautioning the locals that they would not be permitted on the Island for the feast. This writer who was camping in the city of Karwar was in constant touch with Ms Margaret Alva AICC General Secretary, at New Delhi for directions to the Sea Bird authorities to allow entry into the Island but she was either not available and at one instance her office claimed "she was either busy attending a meetin or indisposed. Apparently a common alibi with her looking after the Goa desk. Since the 1000 a.m. Mass could not be held there were several people from Goa who made enquiries at the Paco Patriacal Bishops House at Panaji in Goa many contacted this writer on 9822158584 (Helpline) for updates. The Chief Ministers office in Goa was also being contacted for any efforts on his part to get the authorities to move but the CM was reported to be attending a Cabinet Meet slated for the morning. Last night the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Uttar Kanara made sever telephonic calls with this writer to ascertain the number of buses coming from Goa to attend the feast. His office was told by this writer that it was impossible to gauge the numbers who would attend and at the same time told that the fact that the Navy should allow the customary feast to be celebrated in terms of the conditions of transfer dated 8/12/1987 26/7/1989 with due security considerations was a clear sign that the Navy could not refuse allowing the devoutees to celebrate the same. When they stated that Navy had directed them to take preventive measures he was told that it was not of our concern -- because the Navy was clearly violating the terms agreed upon and they would be held responsible for any law and order problem. Left with no other alternative the Navy was asked to clarify in wrtiting on their insistence that permission was not to be granted for the feast and also "any other religious activity" This they omitted and sent a fax late night at 2310 hrs stating only that the customary feast could not be permitted due to "operational and security reasons" This again was a lapse on the part of the INS Kadamba officials.. Finally the writer demanded to see Commodore K P Ramachandran Naval Office-in-Charge but he claimed to be busy in a meeting "with officials from Mumbai" > As the writer promised to wait until the end of the meet even though called at around 1630 hrs, they finally relented and Vinit Venugopa Commander Senior Staff officer (Operations) met the undersigned at Administrative office Arga for a detailed one and half hour discussion and made available all the fascimile copies of the documents which clearly proved that the Navy was linking unneccesarily the demands of a moffusil local group who claimed that temples existed on the island and were removed to mainland and hence the two feasts should similarly not be permitted. To an extent the Navy agreed in principle to the need to restore the festivities and promised to build up the relations and dialogue to ensure holding of the Feast. Later this writer met the Managing editor of the local Kannada daily Mr Gangadhar Hiregutti 9845071267 and also clarified that the Anjediva Island was still a part of Goa and except for the two feasts celebrated on 2nd Febraury and 4th October no other feasts of any "other religious function" was ever held on the Island ever since the Portugues took over the Island in 1948. Mr Hiregutti was fully in support that the Feast should continue as before and he promised to place the entire issue in the proper perspective based on this documents which the writer handed over He was also asked to visit www.colaco.net for other details on Goa its Liberation and Anjediv Island. The writer could not meet Mr Mutalik alleged to be spearheading the movement against the Feast being conducted, if "worship of a deity on the Island was not permitted" When the Managing editor was told that there was never such demand from the people of Goa how could a person from Karnataka make such a claim he merely stated that is "political moves" Meanwhile following the fax message to the Defence Minister the Chairperson UPA and Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi the Prime Minister of India and the President of India it is confirmed from sources in the INS Kadamba (Sea Bird Project) that the officials of the Integreted Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy) had asked for a detailed report on the developments leading to todays law and order situation at the base. This writer spoke to several armed police personnel incognito -- and they were full praise for the "people of Goa" who they said are peaceloving people but "we had to only avoid bad elements from creating a religious frenzy" they stated. One of them confessed that he and his family used to visit the Island since 1983 when he was posted in Karwar division and it is only in 2004 that they faced a near riot situation when Commodore S S Karnik refused to allow the Hindu devoutees of Karwar to visit the Island. This they allege caused the bitterness against the Naval authorities. He also mentioned that labour unrest with employment of Northerners instead of locals had caused the illwill against the Navy and they too retaliated by refusing permission to the locals. It was owing to this in revenge they demanded that people of Goa too be refused permission and that caused the final closure of the island to the public which is now sought to be re-opened as a healing touch. Meanwhile this writer while in the Sea Bird office learnt that nearly 100 landloser of Karwar were provided employment in menial cadres. But many people from Karwar loathe the Naval personnel as they have usurped large tracts of land along the coast line the beach and now the navy is constructing a 18 hole golf course. Is this the security considerations or is it enjoying the good side of life one wonders. One karwar evacuee told this writer in a local hotel during meal time that the Navy took away the beach at Binaga and left the badly maintained Karawalli beach for the locals. The wall build is not for security but to "hide the luxuries afforded to these officers " said another who works as a driver at Sea Bird operating his car for Rs 545/ per day with a minimum 100 kms assured trip per day. Meanwhile the 1.3 km road leading to the Anjediv Church is still not asphalted and hence it would be difficult for one to move thereon. A sepoy stationed outside the wall on security duty after much coaxing confessed that the same was not asphalted apparently to avoid visitors on the Island. Frankly speaking he admitted that the area has not been assesible even to locals but family friends of officials have visited the same. Now the battle moves to New Delhi and the local State Government to see that justice is done by October 2006 from the Arga end INS Kadamaba GODFREY J I GONSALVES Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9822158584 __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com