Eugene is perhaps confused or should I say blinded by his hatred of the Portuguese and at the same time his blurry image of what Good the so called Liberation has brought. It is true that the Portuguese did precious little to develop and sustain Goa and that thousands of Goans were compelled to leave Goa to seek employment elsewhere, and don't tell me that India under Jawaharlal Nehru was not complicit in this exodus by their actions. May I add that many of these Goans returned often to Goa on Long Leave or to settle permanently after retirement. Compared to what is happening with the hoards of Indians invading Goa and upsetting the, as it was, fragile balance that existed at the time of the so called Liberation is proof enough that this Phenomenon that Eugene is so vehemently defending has not produced the fruits which Eugene and those like minded as he are erroneously portraying as a true Liberation. If this is a true Liberation, why aren't top Government jobs given to Goans and why are outsiders constantly filling these positions? Don't we Goans, who have held top positions in administrations throughout the world, have people qualified enough to fill these positions? If we cannot get top jobs in our own State, then where are the fruits of this so called Liberation? Eaten by some Indian who can bribe the top Ministers and who bow to and capitulate to whatever the master asks?
The liberation is a sham. Where is the will of the people when there was no referendum or plebiscite where the people's opinion was sought and their wishes satisfied? If this was a true liberation and not a conquest, which it now appears to be, and if India was sincere in its wish to liberate Goa and not to annex it into the Indian Union, then there should have been a Plebiscite and if the majority of the People voted for an independent Country, then It was India's duty to succumb to the wishes of the people. But absence of this proves that the sole reason for the Invasion of Goa was , (i) as I have said before, to prop up the sagging popularity of Jawaharlal Nehru and (ii) To annex Goa into the Indian union as a conquered territory which seems to be the right logic. I also resent Eugene's insinuation that I should adhere to the opinion held by my Uncle, Prof. George Moraes. I am entitled to my own opinion just as he was entitled to his. Now you can see the reason for my saying that this is a so called Liberation where I do not tout the horn of My Master as perhaps Eugene is doing with India. Manuel ( Eddie) Tavares
