----- Original Message ----- From: "godfrey gonsalves" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2008 10:47 PM Subject: [Goanet] CATHOLICS INFURIATED OVER ARCHBISHOPS LETTER
Catholics in Goa expressed shock and dismay at reports appearing today in some of the local dailies, that the Archbishop of Goa & Daman immediately upon his return from Jamshedpur in the North Indian state of Jarkhand had in a written letter "on behalf of the Church in Goa " to the PI Mr Sudesh Naik of Panaji Police Station, which was the centre of the 19th February, 2007 mob frenzy involving the Taleigao MLA Mr Atanasio (Babush) Monserate his spouse Ms Jennifer Monseratte Zilla Parishad Member their teenaged son Amit and the Mayor of Corporation of City of Panjim had conveyed sorrow over the incident. ................ Comments: The Goa Su-Raj Party has issued a Press Statement on the above incident where the Party has questioned the actions/inactions of the DGP himself, the highest of the Police authority in Goa. However, this statement has not found favour with the Goan Media ( english language), though we cannot comment on the vernacular media since we are yet to get the feedback. In the above stated 'Press Statement' which was sent entirely by e-mail, the Party has not made a mention of the injured police personnel. This is because the Party finds it ridiculous that a morcha originating from Taleigao, led by the kingpin of goons in Goa is at all allowed to park in front of the Police Headquarters, much less allowed to pelt stones and glass bottles at the police. This could have been amply avoided if not for anything else, than to preserve the self-respect of the State of Goa which is increasingly seen and classified as the number one state in the Indian Union for reasons best known to the promoters. This Party is of the qualified belief that the Church in Goa must insulate itself from partisan politics. But on the contrary, this Party has always urged the Church in Goa to be more and more active in 'real politics' without being PARTISAN, because politics in general affects the lives of the people, and the Church, with all its spiritual teachings and preachings must uphold 'clean politics' irrespective of which political party is going to be at its helm, and at the same time strive to deliver such politics for the betterment of the state and its people. In the immediate past, this Party has been critical of the Church in Goa for having opened up its sanctum sanctorium to the politicos of Goa through hosting of 'Christmas Tea Parties'. This Party has been critical of the Church in Goa represented by Archbishop Rev. Raul Gonsalves, for having 'blessed' the newly inducted ministry at the Raj Bhavan in one of the previous governments, setting the wrong precedent. And, this Party firmly believes that it is not the business of the Church in Goa to invite the political who is who to the Bishop's Palace and to preach to them about their wrong-doings. This Party believes that the Church in Goa can do wonders; in fact, it can bring in a POLITICAL REVOLUTION in Goa, which is badly needed, if only it will sensitize the people for whose welfare it is directly responsible, to look at the electoral process a bit more carefully and to vote for stablished institutions (read political parties) for their true ideology and written down programmes and policies rather than to vote for individuals belonging, or being part of these institutions with a question mark on the ideology followed. After all, it the Church that has to learn its lessons well, with a vast written-down history of Goa infront of it, spanning from the year 1961, when Goa embarked on the journey of sufferings rather than 'clean governance' indegenous to the liberated people in a democratic set-up. This Party believes that the more sensitive among the people of Goa are right in voicing their concerns about the Church being partisan and openly showing it too. floriano goasuraj
