Naguesh Bhatcar commented “Well, I have to laugh at your stupidity and ignorance. It is unfortunate that you should bring up religion into this debate, without knowing me personally or my views, in general!To even remotely suggest that my comment had religious connotation, shows how much communal minded you are.”
Response: 1. Open ended comments with double meanings like “Interesting development.... Wonder if every graduating Engineer gets immediate employment” qualify for open-ended questions. 2. Reactions of Santosh Helekar and Eric Pinto over my comments are well received and on expected lines. Nothing really surprising to me. 3. In the 50th year of Goa’s Liberation it does pain me to be compelled to ask the embarrassing questions. Our naivity and good nature led us to assume that all which pours out from the lips of our fellow goans is in consonance with what rests in the heart. That socio-economic issues of Goa are decided on merits and not on caste and religion. But the cruel history of Goa stands witness to our right not to take anything for face value anymore. Simple looking problems can result in a short circuits. 4. Yes I do not know Naguesh personally but I can see from his responses on goanet that he does not comment where it matters most. After all who is not secular, we have been told that every Indian is our brother and sister.But that is why our community receives accolades time and again for being anti-national and unpatriotic, isn’t it? 5. Has Naguesh raised the same query when the Engineering College was set up in Shiroda? Has Naguesh considered the hundreds of Goan youth studying in Engineering colleges in several parts of India, leave aside those abroad? And the ITIs in Goa churn out hundreds of tradesmen every year besides the polytechnics. And the flourishing IT education centres in Goa. Where will all these professionals get employment? Naguesh bab, considering me stupid is perfect. Are not Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Thereza considered stupid by many in this country? -Soter D.
