Let Jack Sequeira and Bhau come together to save Goa: Dr Oscar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 07 December 2015 10:30 IST
Goa cannot prosper until Jack de Sequeira and Bhahusaheb Bandodkar come together, bridging the historical gap created in Goan society, says Dr Oscar Rebello.
The Aam Aadmi Party launched its pre-election campaign from Benaulim yesterday, with around 600 AAP members showing their significant presence, wearing AAP caps.
Goa has politically been divided between coastal and hinterland Goa due to two agitations – the Opinion Poll in 1966 and Official Language agitation in 1986, pointed out Dr Oscar at the meeting.
Though language and culture needs to be protected, these agitations did not unite Goa but divided it with Goan fighting a Goan. Instead, we need all the Goans fighting real issues to save Goa, by bridging this historical divide, he said.
Elaborating further, Dr Oscar also said the situation led to one section terming another section Maharashtrawadi while the vice versa being termed as pro-Portuguese.
“Instead, let us consider all as Goans, fighting unitedly to preserve Goa’s identity and work for its prosperity by uniting all the Goa-loving people”, he appealed to the people.
Though Manohar Parrikar had crossed this divide by reaching to the hearts of all the masses across Goa, Dr Oscar said he could not take the mandate ahead but lost it with his own deeds.
AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta from Delhi informed the meeting how AAP government in Delhi has taken various pathbreaking steps to reduce corruption and improve efficiency of the administration within nine months of its rule.
Recalling a mythical epic that Lord Parashuram had shot an arrow at Benaulim to create Goa, Fr Michael Fernandes said Benaulim should once again initiate the movement to recreate Goa with clean and people-focussed politics.
Cruz Cardozo of Benaulim highlighted the various issues of the constituency and noted that successive governments have not shown any interest in solving them permanently.
The meeting began with a musical session by Lloyd Gomes with original compositions from Cosme Fernandes, and later by the Parra Boys, who commemorated the life of Fr Bismarque Dias and the issues he took up through musical protests.
AAP Goa Secretary Valmiky Naik led the attendants in a one-minute silence to condole the death of Fr Bismarque, who was a member of AAP and ardent supporter and practitioner of a new type of politics that would benefit the common man and save the environment.
AAP plans to cover all the 40 constituencies by holding one public meeting every two weeks while also concentrating on cadre-building and booth committees, in view of the forthcoming Assembly election in 2017.
“We have a strong cadre base in almost 25 constituencies today”, Valmiky Naik told goanews.com.
Both these leaders are fortunate that they left us long back. Both wud have preferred retirement from politics. Today it is impossible to administer Goa where every action has to be taken in consultation with each and every individual who have become expert on any subject under the sun. Let Jack and Bhau be happy wherever they are.