As appeared in the Goa Observer...feb 28, 2009 edition:
Did Narendra Modi Play Communial Card At Margao?
Did the BJP play a communial card last sunday 15/2/2009 at Aquem, Margao where
the much hyped public rally of BJP's fanatic Narendra Modi?
The rally was held at Costa grounds at 10.00am on the same day when the newly
constructed parish church of Aquem-Alto, dedicated to St Sabestian was to be
inuagrated by the Archbishop, Fr Philip Neri Ferrao at the same time.
The inuagration of the church was attended by cross sections of society and
people of all faiths including a large number of hindus and muslims along with
their catholic brethren.
While at the same time barely 200mts from the church inuagration Narendra Modi
and his BJP cohots like Manohar Poriker were propogating the communial agenda
of the BJP.
The church inuagration mass was attended by CM Digamber Kamat and South Goa MP,
Francisco Sardinha, although many in the congregation questioned the
undistinguisehd presence of Sardinha, who comes to Aquem on two occassions --
1. to adress his election meetings, ad 2, to show his face to the people of
Aquem before the eve of any election to the Parliament.
And while Digamber Kamat was attending the holy mass solemnised by the
Archibishop, Porriker was spittling venom on the current Goa cm from the BJP
pandal.
Also, the councillor from Aquem, Kamilini Poinguinkar choose to be on the dias
of Narendra Modi than attend the inuagration of the church, where most of her
voters were present in huge numbers. Speaks volumes of communial flavour of the
BJP.
Most of the people of Aquem and Margao at large have seen through this as a
play of the communial card by the BJP.
It is sad that a person of Narendra Modi's reputation is even allowed to enter
the state of Goa and address the secular and peace loving people of Goa.
I forsee the BJP south parlimentary election candidate losing his deposit, even
if the Congress this time field a rookie.
A BJP loss is a forgone conclusion as teh Goan electorate are quite smart to
reject and trash any communial agenda.
Cedric Da Costa
UAE