Dear Bosco,
You say:
"I have also come to abhor being constantly reminded of 1961. Everything
that happened then is for academic purposes and will make no difference
to the present. I believe many Goans understand that as they continue to
work hard wherever they are and make a success of their lives.
Perhaps I am wearing my cynicism on my sleeve today.
Floriano says: You should wear your criticizm as a head-band and not on
your sleeve.
Arwin must understand that Goa is a democratic state where people vote for
what they want. If we cannot change things through our votes, then it is not
the democracy that has failed but we GOANS have failed. And one can do
nothing about it. And crying hoarse, beating our chests and drumming our
feet will get us nowhere. If you remember, I have been saying this for the
past more than 10 years and things have gotten worse.
cheers
floriano
goasuraj
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bosco D" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 8:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Boycott Goa Liberation Celebrations
-----Original Message-----
From: Arwin Mesquita
> I request Goans to do a little research and find out the facts of
> what actually happened in 1961. Was Goa liberated or invaded or a
> conquest?
RESPONSE: And what is this soul-searching discovery going to lead to?? Is
going to pay the bills of Goans?? Get food on the table?? Get them jobs?
Keep the lights on in Quepem 24x7? Keep the streets of Margao clean? What
net benefit does this have for today's Goan??
> Why were promises made to preserve Goa's Identity? And
> worse still, why were these promises not honoured to date?
RESPONSE: Who made the promises?? A politician? How many politicians do
you know that have kept their umpteem promises?? What has transpired of
the promise a current minister gave you personally a few months ago?
> Were we not fooled and brainwashed into believing that we were were
> liberated, and today like "ignorants", we celebrate "Goa's
> Liberation Day" ?
RESPONSE: A straw poll of Goans around us will disabuse us of the notion
that Goans actually celebrate 'Liberation Day' unless you count the school
children who march in State Government organized parades in Panaji and
Margao or the ones in Goa that attend a Liberation Ball. Mind you the
parades are cute. The last one I attended had Manohar Parrikar being
driven around Campal Grounds in a jeep.
> Does the Supreme Court not acknowledge that Goa was a
> conquest/invaded?
RESPONSE: The Court's pronouncements are for academia. The courts at
various levels have passed judgements on civic, environmental and other
matters. A straw poll of Goans around us will disabuse us of the notion
that Goans are even aware of these judgements and if they are, a majority
are unlikely to be motivated to have these judgements enforced. Case in
point the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), Rajan Parrikar vs Corporation
of the City of Panaji (CCP). Goans would be better off forcing the CCP to
carryout the judgement of the High Court to keep the City of Panaji clean
instead of being referred to the Supreme Court acknowledgement that Goa
was conquered. The latter is not going to make a difference to the life
for the average Goan in Panaji.
> Why are our Freedom Fighters not demanding safeguards today via
> Special Status and other means to preserve Goa's Identity.
RESPONSE: Freedom Fighters?? Burp!!
> Goans, it is high time we address all the brain washing that has
> been happening for all these years. We must boycott the "farce
> liberation celebrations" and immediately DEMAND what is rightfully
> ours i.e. Measures to protect our land, environment, demographics,
> language, culture & identity.
RESPONSE: Good luck with that!! The last time Goans were mobilised in
numbers to DEMAND something/anything was around the Goa Bachao Abhiyan
(GBA) in Dec 2006. In four years and hundreds of meetings at Gram Sabhas,
Panchayats, arrests, protests, threats, deadlines, etc.....how much have
things changed in the last four years for the average Goan?
> Else the only Liberation that is going to come true, is the
> Liberation of Goa from the Goans!!
RESPONSE: Now will we have to wait for the Supreme Court's pronouncement
on whether this would be a Liberation or a takeover??
Arwin, your efforts for Goa and Goans is appreciated very much. However,
it appears you have learnt very quickly in the past few months, much to
your frustration, that you can achieve close to nothing when you deal with
our politicians unless there is something in it for them.
I have also come to abhor being constantly reminded of 1961. Everything
that happened then is for academic purposes and will make no difference to
the present. I believe many Goans understand that as they continue to work
hard wherever they are and make a success of their lives.
Perhaps I am wearing my cynicism on my sleeve today.
- B
