Kitem uddoilem re baba!!! Great food for thought for all Goans; not only in our bangarachem Goem (Golden Goa) but mostly to all of us Goans who are spread throughout the length and breadth of the universe.
The late Jawaharlal Nehru (JN)seized Goa by means of war which was against Gandhi’s principles of non-violence. The way Goa was handled by the great JN was a blunder because Portugal was in no way any match for India. It was not a “liberation” as some people call it, it was designed to increase JN’s own popularity contest which was dwindling during the Indo China war.
I recall JN’s statement (which was repeated on Goanet when Goans wanted to have self rule like Falkland Island and recently East Timor), JN retorted saying “Goa ka lokh ajeeb hai” – little did JN know the history and culture of Goans for 451 years. Perhaps his knowledge was only based on P&O cruises that he may have taken during his reign and the information spread in the Gandhi family.
As Wikipedia states: The 1961 annexation of Goa (also referred to as Operation Vijay), Invasion of Goa, the Liberation of Goa and the Portuguese-Indian War was an action by India’s armed forces that ended Portuguese rule in its Indian enclaves in 1961. The Operation Vijay by the Indian government, involved air, sea and land strikes (bridges) for over 36 hours, and was a decisive victory for India, ending 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule in Goa.
Twenty two Indians (there should have been none) and thirty Portuguese were killed in the fighting. The brief conflict drew a mixture of world wide praise and condemnation. In India, the action was seen as liberation of historically Indian territory, while Portugal and U.N. viewed it as an aggression against national soil. The United Nations took 14 years to recognise Goa as a part of India (1975)
I recall the words of J.F. Kennedy in 1961 to India “You spend the last fifteen years preaching ... People are saying, the preacher has been caught coming out of the brothel”
The Republic of India did not exist at the time when Goa came under Portuguese rule – 1510. India was only born in 1947, how then can the liberation” take place?
I think the Goans must stop using the word "liberation" as this is the Indian propaganda and freedom fighters “retirement funds”. When any country is invaded, the first thing that the military does is to take control of all air and sea ports. Therefore, after a certain period of time when there is a Government formed, the Army surrenders control of air and sea ports to the Civilians. The Dabolim airport is run by the Navy since 1961 and they are in full control until today. Furthermore, there are barracks of army in the heart of Panjim where there are civilians! Goa is still occupied; however, this time around by the Indian military.
As far as Konkani goes, it will slowly fade away simply because of Goan Diaspora and the euphoria of speaking English and Portuguese. Speak English as well as your mother tongue “Konkani”. I am going to start right from now. The Goans in Goa are talking English and Goans overseas keep saying they do not know Konkani. Hindi and Marathi are already the main languages in Goa and English is used by the elite Goans!? Konkani is disowned by many in Goa and particularly overseas. The life of Konkani depends more on Goans overseas.
Dialogue and communication is important if we are to keep our Goan identity alive mostly in Diaspora as there are more Goans overseas than in Goa and other parts of India. It is high time that the Goan organisations abroad commence talking in Konkani even if the accents are not in par with the pure Konkani speakers.
In the circumstance I am seizing this opportunity of including some passionate Goans and non-Goans who have at some point in time written or copied me on their e-mails/and or Goan forums. It is the responsibility of each Goan settled overseas to keep in touch with our language and use this as the main purpose of existence.
Young kids have the ability to learn more than one language as they are growing. I know of families that talk to their children in English, Konkani and Portuguese. The onus to keep Konkani going rests with Goans settled abroad who are the beacon of light for our mother tongue to exist.
Mog ani somjikai asundi
(Let there be love and understanding)
No comments:
Post a Comment