Arwin wrote:
"While I respect many Catholic Priests and have quiet a few as mentors to
me;
I am personally aware of specific "Catholic Priests" who are
backing/marketing specific Catholic Senior Politicians and a; I am
surprised if you deny this is this happening in Goa!!."
Comment:
I cannot see as to where I have denied that some Catholic priests may not
dabble in politics. My questions arose in regards to your generalisations
about the catholic community. Every community have their fair share of black
sheep but does it mean that the whole community must bear the responsibility
for their actions. Assuming that there are over 300 catholic priests in Goa,
how many of them are involved in this mischief to be of such significance
that it be reflective of a malaise in the whole Catholic community? 10%,
25%, ....?
Do we not have Hindu mutts and devasthans blessing 'Hindu Senior
Politicians' ? But it will not be shouted from the roof tops because it fits
well in the political design for some forces.
I think it is the catholics who have provided the bulk of foot soldiers to
defend against those forces that have tried to destroy Goa time and again.
Whether it is the Opinion Poll or the Konkani Offical Language. Whether it
is Meta Strips or Konkan Railway alignment. Whether it is RP-2011 or other
injustices heaped upon the people of Goa. And everytime the Catholics took
the initiative, the agitation was dubbed anti-national and anti-development
by the Hindu leaders of Goa. It was a Seby Fernandes who was dubbed a
naxalite by Manohar Parrikar and not a Rajendra or Ramesh. It has to be a
Jack, Willie, Sheikh, Gaffar, Rudolf, Victoria, Churchill, Micky, Luizinho,
Mauvin, Sardinha or xxxx who is a goon, casteist or corrupt and the cause of
Goa's problems needing their elimination from goan politics.Why are you so
blind to these glaring facts?
I am of the opinion that the Catholics must now refrain from taking the lead
role in agitations and just see to their economic interests. The recent
National Highway Diversion agitation in which the Church has adopted a
cautious approach is a pointer as to how much other communities, besides the
catholics, actually respond when it comes to a call for saving Goa. The love
for Maharashtra of 1967 has not yet vanished from many hearts and they get
emboldened to proclaim it everytime the Catholic church takes some
initiative in the interest of Goa.
We do not forget history and we pronounce it openly.
-Soter
