Goa will miss Dotor Jalmi...

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Dotor Jalmi, as he was widely known all over Goa, was just not a legal luminary or a medical practitioner or a firebrand legislator; he was the most respected Dotor by a common Goenkar. Because - he was just a super fine human being.

Dr Kashinath Jalmi is not just one more ‘Ex’ legislator, who has died. After Matanhy Saldanha, he is the second great loss to Goa, in real terms. Just because he was neither elected nor in power, people might have not felt what Goa has lost. May be Goa would have not cried so much for Matanhy too, if he was not elected and was not a minister.  The only difference is that Matanhy died when he was in power. Dr Jalmi died when he had gone far away from power politics.

But both Matanhy and Dr Jalmi had lots of similarities. Both were basically activists. Both of them had socialism as ideology close to their heart. Both worked among what can be actually called – the toiling masses. Matanhy worked among the downtrodden; Dr Jalmi himself was a downtrodden and had come up hard ways to shine as an icon in Goa’s political arena. Both of them were simpleton, argued vehemently and fought vigorously what ideas they stood for. May be Matanhy was a Konkaniwadi and Dr Jalmi was a Marathiwadi, but right on top of their agenda was Goa (Yes, even Dr Jalmi stood for Goa; not Maharashtra). They fought each other on language issue, but fought several battles together – for Goa and toiling Goans.

Political career was not the ultimate end for both these leaders. They looked at it as the most effective means to achieve the end. But it was upliftment of the society they worked for. Unfortunately, both of them believed in chain-smoking and drinking. Not known whether it is due to these wild habits or the passion with which they worked tirelessly for Goa, but we lost these two great Goans in early 60s – Dr Jalmi at 62 and Matanhy at 64.

Dr Jalmi was a real scholar. In fact such a scholar, who proved that you need not belong to the upper caste to be the scholar. He demolished the so called worn belief that caste counts to be a real scholar. Gawada was a term which Goan society unfortunately used to humiliate anybody. But Dr Jalmi proved it wrong. He proved beyond doubt that Gawada means scholar, intelligent and a real hero of the society. In fact not a single legislator is born till date, who had a deep study of Indian democratic system like Dr Jalmi had or the in depth knowledge of the Parliamentary system and rules and procedures of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. He was a walking-talking encyclopedia of the legalities and technicalities of the whole democratic functioning and even its loopholes, which he played upon to corner the rulers and bend it skillfully in favour of the masses.

Dotor Jalmi, as he was widely known all over Goa, was just not a legal luminary or a medical practitioner or a firebrand legislator; he was the most respected Dotor by a common Goenkar. Because - he was just a super fine human being. His best friends were those who were his ardent ideological opponents. Journalists may still remember the way he threw a pin box on his opponent Radharao Gracias in the Assembly when tempers went high and then cried and apologized repeatedly to Radharao in the speaker’s chamber for hurting him. That was Dotor Jalmi.

Even after he lost elections, Dr Jalmi was not out of action; though out of public eyes. In fact he was on the front page and in headlines with his press conferences full of studious statements, hard-hitting exposures and equally humorous wit. But even after he was out of active politics, Dotor Jalmi always remained a guiding force for many legislators, who consistently consulted him on several important matters (even journalists!). He had withdrawn himself from public life due to his ill health, but acted behind the curtain with the same vigour, intelligence and unbeatable expertise. His decision that the Speaker cannot defect might have remained as a landmark decision in the Parliamentary democracy after the Supreme Court upheld it. But the real unforgettable work is the kind of efforts he has put in consistently – to uplift the downtrodden society of Goa.

Goa will REALLY miss Dotor Jalmi! 

(Read Dr Kashinath Jalmi is no more)