------------------------------------------------------- Goanet recommends, and is proud to be associated with, 'Domnic's Goa' - A nostalgic romp through a bygone era. This book is the perfect gift for any Goan, or anyone wanting to understand Goa. Distributed locally by Broadway, near Caculo Island, Panjim & internationally by OtherIndiaBookStore.Com. For trade enquiries contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------- JoeGoaUk wrote: Thank you Dr. U.G Barad for you thought provoking article. I am not usually into long posts .. but I read your message fully, I may even go thru it again. Thanks once gain for your time.
Dear JoeGoaUk, Like you, I too thank Dr. U.G Barad for his article and his time. I will try address some of the points I see addressed with the usual caveat I make to Individuals who write anti-Catholic articles - Let us see if you are objective OR just an objector. I submit that if one is to debate matters logically, one must submit a balanced point of view. If you have NEVER written anything to criticise the wrongs that Hinduism wrought on the poor people of the subcontinent - You win. No point in discussing with someone who sees a speck in the eye of another but not the splinter in his own. Besides, I truly have no interest in dealing with "talking points". As you may well know, we have a well known Talking Points Rightie on GoaNet whom we have declared the winner. He does his victory laps in "Moira" (different from the delightful Goan village by the same name) Here are some of my thoughts. The above mentioned remain the terms of reference for any further response from me on the matter. [1] : The question: "Were these 'migrants' legally on the electoral roll or not?" was thought to reveal ignorance about the facts prevailing in Goa. The question is very simple .."Were these 'migrants' legally on the electoral roll or not?". If they were legally on the electoral roll, there is no legal basis for the beef. Full Stop. IF they have been put there illegaly ...it is a different matter. The legality or illegality of any matter is ONLY decided in the Courts. Dr Barad notes that when Margao had a BJP MLA, 'many names of Catholics and Muslims were influentially deleted while many Hindu names were inserted over a period past 12 - 13 years' Follow up questions: Assuming that Dr Barad has first hand knowledge of the charge he makes and correctly anticipates my questions ....so I ask: 1a: If Dr. Barad was an adult at the time these events were happening,Which authority did he report this to? 1b: Did these things NOT happen when Manohar Parrikar was the CM of Goa? Many Goans are quite aware of the modus operandi of politicians in Goa. Just in case Dr Barad is unaware, this nonsense started during the Zhalacch Pahije era of Bandodkar. No need to should Eureka now! At least one Goan college student remembers telling Bandodkar of this stuff on the Panjim Gymkhana cricket ground. The student's phrase if I can paraphrase was "If Hindu Goans work against Catholic Goans and vice-versa - nonGoans will destroy both of us". Wish we were older than our mid teens then. We could have gone and reported it to Prabhakar Sinari - though it does not look like Madhav Gadkari (editor Gomantak) survived too long in his attempts to challenge DB. 1c: re Panjim? (see reference 1) The point being made by me is this. ALL these issues should be dealt with BEFORE the elections - NOT after the results. For... once these folks are on the electoral role - they are registered voters. I absolutely agree with Dr Barad when he says:' "Goan are not against outsiders" What Goans are against is their illegally occupying lands belonging to private parties including communidades; Goans are against illegally acquiring voter's identity and ration cards; Goans are against step-motherly treatment given to native Goans as compared to migrants; etc.' This is something which we Goans have to thank Bandodkar, Tai and all successive CMs for (see reference 2) [2] Dr Barad states that 'Goan Catholics baselessly considers that Congress party is Catholics party while BJP party to be of Hindus' I submit that NO sensible Goan of any religious leaning will ever' consider that the Congress party is Catholics' party'. It is my opinion, and anyone knowing more can correct me but Most sensible Goans are basically caught between a rock and a hard place. Their view is thus: Goa Suraj cannot win, UGDP is unreliable, honest and upright Goans like Arvind Bhatikar, Francisco Colaco and Tony Correia Afonso are not running, Oh my Lord ...Churchill, and the track record of the BJP is communal ....what choice do "we" have but to for this corrupt Congress just to keep the communal BJP guys out? Having said that, I know many Goan Catholics (particularly "Brahmins" ) who have worked and voted for the BJP in the recent elections. Wonder how Dr. Barad can make the above quoted statement without qualifying it. [3] The infamous VideoCD I am happy to know that Dr. Barad saw the VideoCD as not a brilliant idea and was 'in-charge of the agitation to get the VCD scrapped'. I saw the VideoCD and found it to be a piece of crap which was too unbalanced to be transmitted on public television. It was fine (as far as I am concerned) for showing on Pay per View channels or in Cinema theatres. People who choose to spend their money have every right to see any movie they wish to pay for. I am opposed to any form of censorship. Propaganda at the expense of public funds ..is another matter. BTW: I saw the VideoCD-question asked of Mr Parrikar (CNN IBN courtesy JoeGoaUK). I found Parrikar's answer a total disgrace. I hope that next time around, Mr. Parrikar accepts responsibility for the VideoCD, expresses regrets, and that everyone moves on. In a cabinet driven government (Westminister), the responsibility, Mr. Parrikar, lies with the person whom the CM/PM fire from your cabinet ...or with the CM/PM. [4] re the Da Vinci Code Dr. Barad asks"How come Goa including Churchill Alemao reacted sharply over Da Vince Code movie even before seeing it when the movie clearly carried a message at the start of the movie saying it's a fiction movie indicative that it has nothing to do with the historical facts?" I do not wish to speak for Churchill Alemao. I will only offer my personal comments about 'Da Vinci Code': I have read the book and seen the movie. I enjoyed both immensely. The book is brilliantly written and holds attention. It is better than the movie. Having said that the movie is extremely well done. The acting is superb. BTW: Any Catholic who is trying to have this movie banned is effectively working as an agent of the movie producers. BTW: The bone of contention started with the book author's own website (see reference 3) [5] Portuguese Archives Dr Barad write: "Mr. L. Bhembre, father of Mr. Uday Bhembre, after spending couple of years in Portugal going through archives in Portugal libraries had authored a book on "Goa and facts" as documented in archives" Has Dr. Barad verified the references quoted by Mr. Bhembre? Has Mr Bhembre quoted them correctly? Is there a study of collateral references? AND has Mr Bhembre researched any documents about the Buddhists in Goa and what happened to them? IF not ....It is just another lopsided look at history designed only to hammer Catholics for the same nonsense that the Hindus and Muslims have also done. Anyone (including Mr Bhembre) who hammers ALL the religious machoistas who have used religion to oppress other people ...has my support. The hammering must be equitable. As we all know, one cannot come to the table for equity with unclean hands. [6] Filipe Neri signature forgery issue Dr. Barad writes:"Filip Neri himself has nothing to say against this issue .... When the concerned person is not interested in the issue, why people who does not know the head or tail about the factual things have to raise this issue I don't understand? Instead why not allow the law to take it's own course and devote our time to more important social issues!" Is Dr Barad stating that 'FORGERY in an effort to keep control of Governance' is NOT an important social issue? IF that is so, I end with my congratulations to Dr. Barad ...He wins!! (Before his victory speech, may we all please see reference 5) jc reference 1: http://oheraldo.in/node/24414?PHPSESSID=7aa1dd80a5036d On single day itself - the mamlatdar office - Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, Panaji - received applications on Form VII for deletion of around 70 names at one go. One Advalparkar's name appears on Form VII seeking deletion of Godkar family members who are 14 in number. All the nine members of Moraskar family are also sought to be deleted by another person. reference 2: http://www.colaco.net/1/letdown.htm ...the ruling MGP set in place a policy of discrimination against Goans when it came to employment in Goa. Officers in all major fields with no particularly spectacular expertise were brought in to positions which could easily have been filled by Goans. Many Goans found themselves in the untenable position of being literally bossed around by less capable deputationists who were specifically brought in by the MG government. ... the vast majority of them were substandard space occupiers. These less competent "bosses" didn't have a clue of Goa, Goan culture or of the landscape. They didn't even display a scintilla of interest in improving anything in Goa. All they did was talk down to Goans, bad mouth Goans as "lazy, good for nothing, sossegado feni drinkers" and specialized in merely filling up posts with their friends and relatives. reference 3: There is a normal font size disclaimer in the book - AS one opens it.....that "ALL characters and events in this book are fictitious etc" However - as the author's own website (and the reviews it carries) reveal, this is NOT true. Dan Brown has cleverly mixed some Fact with a lot of Fiction. This is what politicians and scandal sheets do. They mix part fact with fiction, and leave it there for the gullible to believe, and yet be protected from liability. The author's website is at http://www.danbrown.com/novels/davinci_code/faqs.html reference 4: http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/20/stories/2005022002051000.htm The Deputy Chief Minister and Independent MLA, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, on Wednesday (February 18, 2005) complained to the Porvorim police that his signature on the BJP membership form that was made part of the disqualification petition filed by the Tivim MLA, Sadanand Shet Tanvade, on February 1 was forged. reference 5: http://www.hindu.com/2005/03/31/stories/2005033103651300.htm Mr. Parrikar told reporters here today that the police would have to face serious consequences if they went ahead with the forgery case, as the matter was being dealt with by the Speaker's office.
