I have read the posts of Goans like Mr. Santosh Helekar implying, to use their words, 'that the concerns about religious discrimination and persecution of minoirties are primarily those of loud mouther rarefied political fringe, over-represented on Goanet and in the Goan media are primarily those of a loud-mouthed rarefied political fringe, over-represented on Goanet and in the Goan media.' This is a familiar refrain that has also been sung by the BJP to allay fears of the Christians that the bogey of communalism is a creation of the Congress to protect its vote banks. We would definitely like to believe Mr. Santosh Helekar and others but there are some disturbing facts that contradict their claims which perhaps they alone could answer. 1. Since communalism in the Medium of Instruction issue is vehemently denied by Mr. Helekar, we would like to know what was the pamphlet being distributed at Azad Maidan during the BBSM rally? Were the contents of the pamphlet relevant to the issue for which the meeting was organised? 2. If communalism is limited to some fringe elements, then what could explain the incident when the MP Sripad Naik is assaulted at St. Andre around 5.30 p.m., coincidentally by some muslim youth involved in an accident with his car, and the burning of a prayer house at Porvorim by midnight? Can an unorganised society respond so rapidly? 3. How did the arrival of a Portuguese ship at Mormugao port warrant a veiled threat to the Archbishop of Goa warning the Church against entertaining pro-portuguese sentiments? 4. What was the relevance of destroying plaques with Portuguese sounding names in Fontainhas when several shops in the heart of the city continue to proudly display their signboards in Portuguese? 5. How is it possible that as a train gets burnt at Godhra on 27th Feb, within a span of a few hours thousands get killed and corpses burnt to destroy evidence in Baroda, Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat? Can this genocide taking care of minute details happen without pre-planning? 6. What was the reason Catholic churches got attacked in mangalore nearing Christmas festivity?
Hope Mr. Helekar can throw some light on this. -Soter D.
